The present invention relates to a method for cushioning objects in a container according to the preamble of claim1. The invention further relates to a device for cushioning objects in a container according to the preamble of the independent claim.

For example, DE 10 2012 222 805 B3 discloses producing a cushioning means from a sheet-like starting material, for example a flat paper strip, by crumpling. In addition, various technologies are known on the market by means of which a cushioning means is produced and introduced into the container depending on a residual void volume in a container in which objects are placed. An example of this is EP 1 556 278 B1.

The problem addressed by the present invention is to provide a method that is as simple as possible and therefore is cost-effective for cushioning objects in a container.

This problem is solved by a method having the features of claim1and by a device having the features of the independent claim. Advantageous further developments of the invention are also found in dependent claims. Features important to the invention can also be found in the following description and in the accompanying drawings.

These features may be essential to the invention both in different combinations and in isolation.

According to the invention, a method for cushioning objects in a container is proposed which comprises the steps of: detecting and/or determining a size characterizing a residual void volume of the container by means of at least one sensor, and automatically producing at least one cushioning means depending on the size characterizing the residual void volume of the container. Furthermore, it is proposed that a cushioning means is only produced when this results from a comparison of the size characterizing the residual void volume of the container with a limit value, i.e. if said size reaches and/or exceeds the limit value, for example, or, in another arrangement, does not reach or falls below the limit value. It is preferred that the cushioning means have predetermined dimensions which are independent of the size characterizing the residual void volume of the container. The device according to the invention is designed analogously.

The method according to the invention and the device according to the invention have the advantage that a cushioning means is only produced when it has been determined that the residual void volume is large enough that it justifies the production and the insertion of a cushioning means at all. The production of a cushioning means is therefore based on a yes/no decision and not on a complex evaluation process. This avoids unnecessary production of a cushioning means. This in turn saves time and resources and therefore also costs.

In a further development of the method according to the invention, it is proposed that when a cushioning means is produced, it is automatically transported into the container immediately after production. This saves time, and it relieves the burden on the “packer,” i.e. the person who is ultimately responsible for packaging the items in the container.

It is particularly preferred that the cushioning means is transported into the container by gravity. An expensive transport apparatus having a separate drive is thereby saved, which in turn saves costs.

In another specific development, it is proposed for this purpose that the cushioning means be transported into the container along a chute. Therefore, the cushioning means can be accurately and reliably guided into the residual void volume in the container, while achieving low costs and high reliability at the same time, since no drive means are required whatsoever.

In an alternative embodiment, it is provided that the cushioning means is transported into the container by means of a robot. This means that very accurate placement of the cushioning means in the container can be achieved. In addition, the reliability of the placement of the cushioning means in the container is increased.

It is also possible that, when a cushioning means is produced which is not transported into the container immediately after production, this cushioning means is temporarily stored in intermediate storage. This takes into account the fact that, in practice, a cushioning means probably does not need to be transported into each container. The time gained in this way can be used to produce stocks of cushioning means, such that when a cushioning means is to be placed into a container, it is immediately available. This saves time.

A very simple variant of the method is characterized in that the size characterizing the residual void volume of the container has an average height within the interior of the container or in a portion within the interior of the container. According to the invention, therefore, complex determination of a contour of the objects present in the container is not carried out, and complex determination of the geometric distribution of the residual void volume in the container is not carried out either. Instead, for example, only an average height of the objects present in the container is determined, by means of which the residual void volume present in the container can be very well characterized. This can be done, for example, by determining the height at a plurality of predetermined discrete positions. In the simplest case, the arithmetic average can be used as the average. In order to estimate the residual void volume or the size characterizing the residual void volume, it is also useful to know the height of the container.

A further development is characterized in that the size characterizing the residual void volume of the container is determined using the signal from a sensor, in particular a height sensor. Such a sensor may, for example, be a transmitter which operates in a tactile manner, or may be a contactless transmitter, for example an image-capturing apparatus, an ultrasonic sensor and/or a bar code scanner. Using the bar code scanner, for example, a bar code attached to the container either on its outer face or its inner face can be scanned. The information encoded in the bar code may be, for example, a size characterizing the void volume of the container (for example the height of the void volume of the container) and the heights of the objects placed in the container according to a packing list. However, the bar code may also already explicitly contain the size characterizing the residual void volume, or even already contain the yes/no decision as to whether or not a cushioning means should be produced.

