CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a National Stage under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2019/025007, filed on Jan. 9, 2019, which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 18020021.4, filed on Jan. 15, 2018, the contents of all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The invention relates to a support device for storing or transporting single sheets or stacks of a packaging material.

In this context, a stack of a packaging material is to be understood as a plurality of sheets made of the packaging material and being arranged one above the other in a well-defined manner.

Such support devices are usually used in conveyor belt assemblies, which are for example known in the packaging industry.

More specifically, such conveyor belt assemblies are used in packaging material cutting or creasing machines, in which the cutting or creasing is performed on-the-fly, i.e. the packaging material is cut or creased while being transported through the machine.

Usually the packaging material to be cut is held on one or more support devices, which are mounted on the conveyor belt. In known configurations, vacuum is used to fix the packaging material to the support device. A vacuum source, e. g. vacuum pump, is arranged under a conveying section of the conveyor belt assembly, cooperating with vacuum exhausters holding the packaging material.

It is a general aim in the packaging industry to provide support devices, which are able to store or transport the packaging material in a very precise manner. This means that a precise position of the sheet needs to be assured. Furthermore, the packaging material needs to lie on the support device in a flat manner, i.e. the packaging material should not be bent in any direction.

Especially when using laser cutting technology, the contact area between the support device and the packaging material is to be chosen as small as possible. This is due to the fact that fumes originating from the laser cutting process can be trapped in small gaps between the packaging material and the support device. This leads to so called fume deposition marks on the packaging material, which are undesirable.

When the support device is used for storing single sheets or stacks of a packaging material, the sheets or stacks are located on the support device and the support device is generally not moved. Preferably, support devices can be used for storing sheets or stacks in a waiting area of a packaging material processing machine. In this area the sheets or stacks can be “parked” until it is their turn to be processed on the machine. Of course, it is also possible to use the support devices independently of processing machines. They can for example be used to form the storing surface of a rack, a shelf or a table.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved support device. Additionally, the support device shall be easy to manufacture and assemble.

This problem is solved by a support device of the type mentioned above, comprising a multitude of slats being arranged on a basic component, wherein the slats are in an upright position and spaced from each other in a generally parallel manner such that respective side contour contact sections of the slats form a substantially flat support surface configured to support the single sheets or stacks, wherein each slat is mounted on the basic component via two connection tongues being arranged on opposite ends of the slat, the connection tongues engaging corresponding connection slots being provided on the basic component, wherein two types of slots are provided on the basic component, wherein a first type of slots is arranged closer to a basic surface of the basic component than a second type of slots, and wherein two types of slats are provided, wherein a first type of slats is engageable with connection slots of the first type, but not with connection slots of the second type, and a second type of slats is engageable with connection slots of the second type, but not with connection slots of the first type. Thus, the slats form a kind of grid suitable for supporting packaging material and thereby avoiding bends or kinks in the packaging material. At the same time, especially when compared to a continuous support surface, the contact area between packaging material and the support device is very small. Consequently, an amount and a size of potential cavities where fumes can be trapped between the side contour contact sections of the support device and the packaging material are comparatively small. When speaking about a substantially flat support surface, this surface also can be formed by a multitude of tooth tips generating a virtual plane. The purpose thereof is to support the sheet or the stack in a flat manner, i.e. without bending or kinking the sheets. Mounting the slats on the basic component via tongues and slots results in a reliable connection between the slats and the basic component. Furthermore, the assembly can be done without tools and therefore is easy and economical. The provision of two types of slots and two types of slats makes it impossible to make a mistake during assembly and mount a slat of the first type to slots of the second type (Poka Yoke). Using two different types of slats offers the possibility to adapt a support surface formed by respective side contour contact sections of the slats to different kinds of packaging material or different processes by which the packaging material is treated.

The packaging material can be paper, cardboard or a plastic material. Also sheets made of a plurality of materials are possible. Such packaging material sheets for example comprise a layer of paper or cardboard covered with a layer of plastic, which also can be called a coating.

According to an embodiment the basic component is a U-shaped profile, wherein the connection slots are provided on the legs of the U-shaped profile and wherein the slats generally extend from a first leg of the U-shaped profile to a second leg of the U-shaped profile, which is opposed to the first leg. Such a basic component is easy to manufacture. Furthermore, the slats can conveniently be arranged in a desired geometry.

The connection slots can be open towards an end of the respective leg. This means that the slots are generally U-shaped. Consequently, the slats can be mounted to the basic component from above. More precisely, the basic component can be placed on an assembly support and the slats can be introduced in the slots by a substantially vertical movement. This assembly activity can be performed without tools.

Alternatively, the connection slots are openings in the respective leg. This means that the slots are generally O-shaped. Consequently, the slots are closed on all lateral sides. Therefore, the slats can be positioned in a very precise manner on the basic component. During an assembly process the tongues are introduced into the openings. It can be necessary to slightly bend the slats in order to introduce the tongues into the openings. All in all, a very reliable connection between the slats and the basic component is provided.

Advantageously, each connection tongue is associated with a vertical positioning surface being arranged on the corresponding slat and being adapted to position the slat in a vertical direction with respect to the basic component. Consequently, the slats are precisely positioned with respect to the basic component. Additionally, the assembly process does not need adjustment steps.

The vertical positioning surface can abut against an end of the corresponding leg of the basic component, a ground surface of a corresponding connection slot and/or a ground surface of the basic component. The basic component is preferably a U-shaped profile. All alternatives guarantee that the slats are precisely positioned with respect to the basic component.

Preferably, each connection tongue is associated with a horizontal positioning surface being arranged on the corresponding slat and being adapted to position the slat in a horizontal direction with respect to the basic component. Consequently, the slats are precisely positioned with respect to the basic component in a horizontal direction. Furthermore, also in the horizontal direction, no adjustment steps are needed during the process of assembly.

The horizontal positioning surface can be arranged above or under the corresponding connection tongue or the horizontal positioning surface can comprise a first section being arranged above the corresponding connection tongue and a second section being arranged under the corresponding connection tongue. All alternatives guarantee that the slats are precisely positioned with respect to the basic component.

In a variant the slats are preloaded with respect to the basic component, especially wherein a compressive preload force is applied to the slats by the legs of the basic component. Of course, then the slats apply a corresponding reaction force to legs. Preloading guarantees a defined position of the slats within the basic component. Furthermore it prevents undesired noises such as rattling. Preferably, the preload force is applied to the slats via the horizontal positioning surfaces.

In an alternative the slats are fixed to the basic component by gluing, especially wherein a glued connection is established between the first leg and/or the second leg of the basic component and the slat. Consequently, the slats are reliably secured to the basic component. Also a glued connection prevents undesired noises such as rattling.

The two types of slots can be arranged in an alternating manner in a direction of general extension of the support device.

In an alternative solution all slats are generally identical, wherein each slat comprises a connection tongue of a first type being engageable with connection slots of the first type, but not with connection slots of the second type and a connection tongue of a second type being engageable with connection slots of the second type, but not with connection slots of the first type and wherein the slats are arranged on the basic component in alternating orientations. These slats are asymmetrical. The advantage of this embodiment compared to the embodiment with two different types of slats is a more economic production of the slats as only one type has to be produced.

Preferably, the side contour contact sections comprise teeth, wherein the teeth of neighboring slats are offset with respect to each other. The contact area between a slat without teeth and a packaging material is substantially a line or a narrow but long rectangle. By introducing teeth, the contact area is shrunk to a plurality of point contacts. Consequently, the area of contact is further reduced, which leads to a reduction of the fume deposition phenomenon.

Teeth of neighboring slats can be offset by half the distance between two neighboring teeth on one slat, i.e. teeth of one slat are always in front of gaps between teeth of a neighboring slat. This leads to a special distribution of the point contacts, which is advantageous with respect to bending or kinking of packaging material.

