ES2643415T3 - Insertion machine and insertion procedure - Google Patents

Description

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Insertion machine and insertion procedure.

I. Field of application

The invention relates to an insertion machine and an insertion process whereby the products are placed in open trays, generally in the form of a tray, and these trays are then closed by means of a sealing film that is applied at the edge.

II. Technical background

In this way a variety of products will be packaged, however only the insertion of flexible pieces, such as meat slices, is a problem, since such products must also be placed exactly on the tray.

In this case, transport systems are already known for transporting flexible products such as meat slices, placed individually or superimposed forming portions, by means of a product conveyor and dropping them on the ejection edge in a tray, which is below the edge of expulsion.

In this case there is the problem of the speed to be selected:

- the slower the product travels over the eject edge, the greater the tipping moment the product suffers and, therefore, there is a risk that the product does not sit flat on the bottom bottom of the tray, but totally, or partially turned,

- the higher the speed with which the product is projected on the ejection edge, the lower this moment of unwanted tipping will be, however, the greater the relative speed with respect to the tray when it falls on it, when the tray is stop or when it is moved relatively slowly in the direction of the movement of the products, and therefore there is a risk that the product does not sit flat on the base of the tray,

- In this context, the jump belts are already known in which the ejection edge of the product conveyor in the transport direction can move very fast forward and backward, so that to eject, the ejection edge is Quickly withdraw under the product, so that practically no tilting moment can occur, but the product descends with vertical acceleration down, however, of course, retaining its horizontal speed that it had when contact with the product transporter it got lost.

Therefore, in the case of this type of jump belt, the product slows down shortly before leaving the product belt and stops in the ideal case.

Overlapping the three solutions, the objective is naturally to increase the efficiency of the device.

In this context, from document WO 2013/110667 A2 it is known to drop products in the form of slices on a respective immovable tray at least during expulsion.

Furthermore, from documents US 3,354,613 and DE 102 24 237 A1, which define what is closest to the known technique, it is known to eject a product in the form of a stack of slices on the ejection edge of a product conveyor in a reception tray.

They represent a particular problem in this case, the products moistened with a lot of liquid such as slices of marinated fresh meat, because it can easily happen when these products are inserted, that part of that liquid drips on the edge of the tray and at this point it is no longer You can get a tight seal during the subsequent sealing process of the sealing film, if these impurities are not previously meticulously removed.

In this context, it is already known to protect the upper part of the stationary tray against contamination by means of a covering mask when the products are inserted into the tray. However, the mask is used repeatedly and mechanically approaches and moves away to each tray to approach the next tray.

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JP S52 132989 and EP 1 415 919 A1 show a funnel-shaped mask that is partially lowered in the tray in order to facilitate filling of a bulk material, covering the edge of the tray by means of the mask.

In this case, there is still the risk that the liquid drops that have formed on the inner edge of the mask drain during the relative movement towards the tray, again impacting the edge of the tray.

III. Representation of the invention

a) Technical object

Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a method and a related insertion machine, which prevents fouling of the upper part of the edge of the tray by the liquid from the products to be inserted, despite a high speed of insertion.

b) Problem solving

This object is solved with the characteristics of claims 1 and 8. Favorable manufacturing models arise from the dependent claims.

With respect to the process, this object is resolved by including the displacement on the preferably stationary ejection edge of the receiving tray, in the direction of passage with the product during the release of the products from the product conveyor, preferably at the same speed as the discarded product possesses during the moment of expulsion, thus being able to reduce to zero the relative speed in the direction of passage between the product and the tray, so that the normally flexible product lands at the bottom of the trays without deforming or ripple theref for a relative speed.

This allows the product to be ejected or the part of several products to be ejected with a very high speed, in particular more than 300 mm / s, over the ejection edge, which causes a high insertion rate and therefore a high performance of a corresponding insertion machine.

However, in the case of wet products, especially slices of marinated meat, they present a great danger of drops of liquid from the product, during the projection of the product in the direction of the tray or only when impacting the product on the base of the tray and that due to the perimeter splash end up depositing on the edge of the tray.

During subsequent sealing of a sealing film on the edge of the tray, such liquid droplets present therein can cause leakage in the joint and, consequently, lead to deterioration of the product in the tray.

Therefore, during ejection, the edge of the tray is covered by an overlapping mask that prevents the collision of liquid droplets according to the invention. The mask is in this case at such a short distance above the edge of the tray or even lies on it, so that the penetration of liquid droplets between them is not possible. Preferably, the mask covers the entire edge of the tray.

Since the tray moves with the projected product, the cover mask also moves with the tray.

In order for the product to reach the tray, the mask, which is generally located horizontally like the tray, has a passage opening that in particular is only slightly smaller than the upper opening of the tray. From the edges of this passage opening, the walls extend circumferentially downwards.

When the mask is placed on the tray, these walls protrude into the tray cavity and also in height can be shaped so long that they contact the bottom edge of the tray base, especially a position with suction capacity disposed theref.

The circumferential walls therefore have in this case an outer periphery such that they can still be inserted precisely into the tray cavity, preferably using the tray walls that generally narrow in a slightly conical direction downwards, to center or, also on the contrary, the walls of the mask in the state inserted in the tray keep in all the places a minimum distance, as far as possible, with respect to the walls of the tray so that dirt cannot be adhered to the walls of the tray in the exterior of the circumferential wall of the mask.

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Preferably, the mask is lowered into the tray before the start of the ejection process, moving during the expulsion together with the tray in the forward direction and after the end of the delivery of the product in the tray moves by removing it from the tray and moves it back to the initial position against the direction of feeding.

Preferably, the mask moves back and forth at the same height in the forward direction for the necessary relative movements between the tray and the mask, while the relative vertical movement is carried out through the tray which preferably rests on a lifting and descending lifting device.

The movement in the direction of passage can also be effected by means of the mask, such that the mask introduced in the form drag on the tray makes the movement in the direction of advance, dragging the tray with it.

This means that in order for the product or the portion to be ejected on the product transporter that carries out the transport, they are in the correct rotation position around the vertical axis and in the transverse position on the product transporter, they will be positioned before the expulsion, especially with respect to the transverse position, and preferably will also be aligned with respect to the rotation position around the vertical axis, for which several methods are available:

One of them consists of, just above the product conveyor, that is, in the range of product height or portion arranged above it, allowing the solidarity operation of belts on both sides of the product, preferably at the feed rate of the product. Conveyor of products, converging these belts in the direction of passage first from a greater to a lesser distance from each other, which corresponds to the transverse traversal extension of the product to be positioned. Since this smaller distance between the circulating belts is in the transverse position in which the product should be found, it is positioned in the transverse direction.

By means of the protruding blades from the belts that move in solidarity in the direction of the center of the product conveyor in the product height range, the front edge or the end edge of the product through the direction of travel is also aligned with respect to to the position of rotation around the vertical axis, leading them to contact the corresponding edge of the product. Also the lateral edges of the product located in the direction of travel will be aligned by said tapes that move in solidarity in the direction of passage.

Another possibility is to push the product on the product conveyor to the desired transverse position by means of the extensible transverse slider arranged on both sides in the transverse direction towards the center of the conveyor, and in this case due to the position of the transverse slider at the edges lateral, align the product also with respect to its rotation position around the vertical axis.

The transverse sliders can be firmly positioned and not move together with the product on the product conveyor, since the transverse positioning should preferably be carried out in all the described ways of the transverse positioning with the product conveyor in operation, so as not to reduce the efficiency of the insertion machine, or be pivotable about a vertical axis, which is far from the contact surface of the transverse slider and, therefore, be limited in movement with the product, then being the contact surface in plan view preferably curved in convex form.

Another possibility is to arrange on both sides just above the product conveyor, a pivoting segment in the form of a pivotable plate around a vertical axis, whose narrow vertical side is convexly curved, such that when pivoting around the vertical axis in the direction of travel, this narrow vertical side progressively protrudes from the contact surface oriented towards the product, in the direction of the longitudinal center of the product conveyor. By pivoting in the direction of travel, while the product is between the two pivoting segments, the product thus moves towards the longitudinal center of the product conveyor.

Another option is to detect the transverse position of the product in the product conveyor by a single sensor, but not to prevent, but to adjust the transverse position of the mask and / or the tray at the point of ejection, to the transverse position of the product.

The objective with respect to the device is therefore achieved, because first of all a product conveyor is available that transports individual products or collected in portions of products in the direction of passage and ejects through its end edge, the expulsion edge , which is preferably formed stationary in the direction of passage.

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Below the ejection edge, that is, at a level lower than the ejection edge, the respective tray, in which at least one product must be placed, which is ejected on the ejection edge, moves below the ejection edge in the direction of passage with the horizontal velocity of the ejected product, so that when impacting the product on the base of the tray there is no possible horizontal relative speed between the tray and the product.

This movement of the tray can be carried out using a tray conveyor, which preferably extends in the direction of the passage from a point in front of the ejection edge to a point after the ejection edge.

However, this displacement of the tray is effected during ejecting, when the mask introduced in the tray moves horizontally in the direction of passage by means of a mask conveyor and, thus, drags the tray that is not yet found. on a tray conveyor at the beginning of this movement, but is still on the support plate of a lifting device that can lift the tray to the mask, so that the tray conveyor in the direction of travel only starts behind of the first ejection edge, but preferably it reaches up to the area of movement of the mask conveyor.

The device further comprises a controller that can control the tray with respect to the product conveyor so that the tray moves just below the cavity of the product eject edge, so that the product is at the end of the base of the tray.

To this end, sensors that detect the position of the tray and place the tray accordingly before it moves along with the product are generally available. Instead of sensors, the tray can also be positioned in its initial position, due to the fact that through the introduction of the mask arranged in a fixed initial position, it focuses on its initial position.

Preferably, a sliding device is also provided around the support plate of the lifting device, on which it is intended that the tray be supported, between a receiving position, where it is loaded with a new tray, and a position of Ejection for product collection moves back and forth in the transverse direction. The sliding device is preferably part of the lifting device or vice versa.

Preferably, a movable mask is additionally provided in the direction of passage with an edge to cover the edge of the tray, which is to be placed during the expulsion of the product on the tray and moves along with it.

This mask has a passage opening through which at least one product can fall from top to bottom in the tray. The edge of the mask that extends around the passage opening is sized so that, seen from the top, it can cover the upper circumferential edge of the tray, preferably that it can cover completely.

From the inner contour of the edge of the mask, that is, around the passage opening, the circumferential walls extend from the edge downwards, which during the placement of the mask on the tray are introduced into the cavity of the tray .

For the immersion and extraction movement a relative vertical movement between the mask and the tray is necessary, which is produced by a lifting device, which preferably raises the respective tray to the mask and preferably after the insertion of the products falls from the Mask down until the tray is out of contact with the mask.

The mask itself moves forward and backward preferably horizontally in the direction of passage and is not subject to vertical movement, especially because in the opposite case, that is, with a vertical movement of the mask, the vertical distance between the tray provided with the mask and the ejection position, that is, the product conveyor would be larger, which would be detrimental to the infallible placement of the products in the tray.

As a tray conveyor, which moves the respective tray horizontally during ejection together with the product, the mask itself can be used, so that it is dragged into the tray. In such a way, for example, that the mask is moved by a mask conveyor in the direction of passage, being able in this case to take the tray, which only needs to slide on a support plate, which can be, for example, part of the lifting device.

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Wet products that fall through the mask leave liquid droplets in the mask, either at the top edge or inside the mask walls directed downwards. These liquid droplets will flow down along the walls and will eventually drain from the bottom edge of the wall down.

In order to prevent said dripping of the liquid droplets from dripping from the mask during the relative movement of the tray and masking in the transverse direction on the upper edge of the tray, the hanging liquid drops are preferably removed actively in the lower edge of the tray. the walls.

For this purpose, the mask is sized with its walls in such a way that the walls, when inserted into the tray, its interior space normally extends conically upwards touching the inner walls of the tray, and thus is removed from the tray the liquid adhered to the walls of the mask.

Another possibility or alternatively applicable is that the base of the trays is covered with an absorbent material that absorbs liquid and the walls of the mask that extend downwards are formed longitudinally such that when the mask is introduced into the tray, the edge The bottom of the walls of the mask sits on the absorbent material of the base and therefore the existing liquid drops theref are absorbed by the absorbent material.

In order for the product to flow through the passage opening as easy as possible, it must be designed as large as possible. The limitation is that the walls that extend around the passage openings have to fit even in the tray cavity.

A first solution consists in sizing the passage opening and the outer perfometer of the walls of the mask so large that during insertion in the tray, contact its walls that surround the interior space that generally narrows down conically, using the tray For the centering.

In this way, however, the outer sides of the mask walls come into contact with the tray, which can, on the one hand, remove the liquid adhered to the mask, as explained above, but dirt could also be transferred. in the opposite direction from the tray to the mask.

Therefore, it is preferred that the mask be inserted exactly from the top into the tray, however, even during the solidarity movement with the tray, the mask walls always keep a small distance in front of the tray walls, which however, it naturally reduces the passage opening through the mask.

In this case, however, it is not possible to use the mask as a tray conveyor, but the trays on the one hand and the mask on the other hand must be moved synchronously in each case separately through a conveyor.

Additionally, from the edge of the mask on one side, that is, the front side in the direction of passage, a stopper can protrude above in case a product to be placed on the tray does not directly accentuate the passage opening of the mask, but project too far. Said product then hits the stop, decelerates abruptly and falls into the passage opening of the mask, since the stop is directly at the edge of the passage opening.

c) Manufacturing examples

Manufacturing models of the invention are described in greater detail below by way of example. They are shown in the:

figure 1 a, b: figure 2 a: figure 2 b: figure 2 c: figure 3: figure 4a-c: figure 5 a-d:

the insertion machine in perspective views from above and from below, the machine of figures 1a, b in a side view; the machine of figures 1a, b in the front view and the machine of figures 1a, b in the plan view,

an enlarged insertion machine with respect to figures 1a, b in a perspective view, enlarged cutouts of figure 2c with different possibilities of transverse positioning, the sequence of the insertion operation, seen in a vertical section from the side.

The structure of the machine can best be seen in Figures 1a and 2a, in addition, of course also in the view of Figure 1b from below, as well as in the front view of Figure 2b and in the plan view of Figure 2 C:

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In front of the front wall of the cabinet housing 30, the handling units for products 1a, b, especially the various conveyors, are assembled open, so that they are easily visible and accessible by an operator standing in front of machine:

From the right side, the products 1a, b placed, for example, superimposed, either individually or already in portions 1 ', as shown in Figure 5, are transported on a first product conveyor 7 ", and before arriving The transverse positioning device 5 mounted on this product conveyor 7 ", by means of a transverse positioning sensor 15 preferably mounted on the machine housing 30, determines the position of the product 1b or the transported portion 1 ', which is constituted by several of these products, in the transverse direction 11 on the product conveyor 7 ".

The transverse direction 11 is perpendicular to the direction of passage 10 of the products, therefore, to the transport direction of the product conveyor 7, 7 ', 7 "and the tray conveyor 8.

In the transverse positioning device 5, the product 1b is pushed to the correct transverse position and is also aligned with respect to its rotation position around the vertical axis, especially in the case of portions, whose lateral edges are not yet aligned parallel to the step direction 10.

From this first product conveyor 7 ", the product 1b or the portion 1 'of the products 1a, b is transferred in a direction of passage 10 to a subsequent product conveyor 7' and from this on the next subsequent conveyor of products 7 in the direction of step 10, to the last product transporter in the direction of step 10.

In its extreme zone, this last product conveyor 7 has a path directed obliquely towards the bottom of the upper branch of this endless product conveyor 7, which is deflected by a deflector roller with a very small diameter to form an edge. of ejection 7a as the end of the product conveyor 7.

A product 1a, which is transported on the product conveyor 7 that preferably travels at a constant speed at least during the expulsion process, travels at the end of the conical zone already obliquely down and due to its continuous speed with this direction also after the overflow of the ejection edge 7a in free coffee and must fall into a tray 2 located below, as indicated below, based on figures 5a, b.

Said tray 2 is shown illustrated only in Figure 2a and rests on the support plate 24 of a lifting device 9 which is capable of raising the support plate 24 from the lowered position illustrated in Figure 2 until the mask 4 mounted on a fixed height, it is inserted with its walls in the tray 2 and covers its lateral circumferential edge 2a, with the proviso that the tray 2 was previously exactly below the mask 4.

The lifting device 9 is also in a position to move the support plate 24 back and forth in the transverse direction 11 by means of a sliding device 25 disposed in the lifting device 9, as best seen in Figure 1 b:

in this way, the support plate 24 can be moved from one side directly towards the front wall of the cabinet housing 30 in the form of a cabinet under an opening of its front wall that serves as a tray exit 23 (see figure 2a) and from where a single tray 2 can be pushed out respectively in the transverse direction on the immediately adjacent support plate 24 arranged in the receiving position,

From there, the support plate 24 can be moved away from the machine housing in a transverse position and a longitudinal position exactly below the mask 4, which in figures 1a, b and 2a, b is in the initial position to carry carried out an expulsion operation. The mask 4 can be displaced horizontally together with the projected product 1c on the ejection edge 7a, from this starting position, in the direction of step 10 by means of a mask conveyor 26, where the mask, due to the position inserted in tray 2, it carries with it the tray 2 in this direction. In this case, the mask 4 moves with the tray 2 preferably at the same speed in the direction of passage 10 as the product 1c recently ejected on the ejection edge 7a.

As long as the tray 2 is filled with a single eject operation by which a single product 1c or an entire portion is released in the tray 2, the full tray is lowered until the mask 4 is disengaged and the tray fills 2 through a first tray conveyor 8 and, if necessary, through another tray conveyor 8 '. In this case, the lowering of tray 2 can also be done by

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by means of a vertical movement of the right end part of the tray conveyor 8, in case the tray 2 is already on it.

Figure 3 shows an enlarged insertion machine to the left with respect to figures 1a, b and 2a, b, c, which is shown without products and trays, on which it is however evident that by means of the product conveyor 8 they are transported the trays filled to an existing sealing station 27 in duplicate in the direction of step 10, in which from above a sealing film 3 is sealed annularly around the upper opening of the tray 13 to hermetically seal the tray fill 2, as you can see more clearly in figure 5e.

In the enclosure of the machine 30 in the form of a cabinet, on whose front side the individual conveyors are mounted, the control unit 50 with the display 50a and a handling unit 50b is located in the front view on the left preferably also the distribution cabinet that supplies the entire machine with electricity.

In the right part of the housing the tray separator is not explained in detail, which is necessary, since the tray-shaped trays 2 are supplied nested one inside the other usually and must be separated for use in the insertion machine so that subsequently, the separated trays 2 can be transported to the central part of the housing 30, that is, towards the exit of the trays 23, remaining available theref.

Figures 5a-e show the process of filling and sealing a tray 2 with the help of the insertion machine previously described in detail:

In the starting position, the tray 2 is located at a distance below the mask 4 which in the height is arranged in a fixed position and can only be moved in or against the direction of step 10.

Seen in the plan view, the tray 2 is generally rectangular and has an edge 2a around its upper opening 13 perimeter on all sides protruding horizontally outwards, walls extending obliquely downwards and a base 2b on which an absorbent material 14 may be arranged, which can absorb liquids well, such as meat juice.

The mask 4 has a continuous passage opening 12 from the top down, which is slightly smaller than the opening 13 of the tray 2. The passage opening 12 of the mask 4 is also rectangular, from which they also generally extend obliquely from top to bottom towards the center, inclined individual walls 4b or a single wall that extends annularly around the passage opening 12. The passage opening 12 of the mask 4 is also surrounded by an outwardly projecting edge 4a horizontally.

The dimensioning of the mask 4 is illustrated adapted to the tray 2 in such a way that, as shown in figure 5b, by means of a subsequent elevation of the tray 2 by means of a lifting device 9 the tray 2 can be lifted until The walls 4b of the mask 4 are inserted into the opening 13 of the tray 2 and, optionally, can also reach the base of the tray and contact the absorbent material 14, or if such absorbent material is not present, the base of the trays , in the event that the walls of the mask are shaped high enough, which, however, is not always so.

The contact causes a drop of liquid 6 that possibly forms on the lower edge of the circumferential wall 4b of the mask 4 not to drip at any time, but because of this contact is absorbed, for example, by the absorbent material 14.

In addition, the edge 4a of the mask 4 that protrudes horizontally is so wide that it completely covers the edge 2a of the tray 2.

While no product is still transported on the product conveyor 7 located slightly above, as shown in Figure 5b, the mask 4 and the tray 2 are inserted into each other as close as possible under the product conveyor 7, being preferably in the case of the passage direction from left to right, the ejection edge 7a on the left end of the opening 12 of the mask 4 in the direction of step 10.

If, for example, in the product conveyor 7, a portion 1 'of three partially overlapping products 1a, b, c and with the speed of movement of the product conveyor 7 is conveyed obliquely downwardly over the ejection edge 7a, the mask 4 and tray 2 together move in the direction of step 10 with a horizontal velocity corresponding to the component of the horizontal velocity of the projected portion 1 ', possibly applying the movement of mask 4 and tray 2, depending on the starting position, in the

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direction of passage 10 according to figure 5b, already before the portion 1 'or the product 1a protrudes over the ejection edge 7.

This movement of the mask 4 and of the tray 2 continues until the product 1a or the portion 1 'rests on the base 2b of the tray 2.

In the event that the product 1a or the portion 1 'when falling into the opening 12 of the mask 4 does not exactly correct this, but rather projects too far, on the part of the enveloping edge 4a of the mask 4, which in the direction of passage 10 is at the front, a stop 28 is provided that projects upwardly extending in the transverse direction 11, against which the product 1a or the portion 1 'possibly collides with its leading edge and then falls into The opening.

When the tray 2 is completely full, which can be carried out by one or more ejection processes according to figure 5d, the full tray 2 moves down to free itself from its coupling with the mask 4 and a tray conveyor 8, which preferably has the same direction as the product conveyor 7, 7 ', 7 "preferably transports it to a sealing station 27, in accordance with Figure 5e:

there, the full tray 2 is stopped and a sealing film 3 is placed over the opening 13 of the tray 2, so that it is on the circumferential edge 2a and theref is heated perimetrically by means of a circumferential sealing plunger 27a of the sealing station 27 and thus, since the sealing film 3 and / or the tray 2 are made of a heat sealable material, it is glued tightly to the top of the edge 2a of the tray 2.

With this, the full tray 2 is not tightly closed and can be introduced for the additional collection and processing process.

While when one or more products are ejected in tray 2, tray 2 is still not completely filled, it is coupled with the mask engaged together, they are horizontally moved back towards the initial position of the ejection process according to the figure 5b and there is a new expulsion of one or more products in the tray until it is completely filled.

In figures 4a-c different manufacturing models of the transverse positioning 5 are shown looking in the direction of figure 2c:

Figure 4a shows in this case the transverse positioning device 5 also shown in the other figures in version 5.1:

in this case, a respective lateral conveyor 17 is moved in the left and right marginal area of the product conveyor 7 "with an endless belt that is directed around deflector rollers, which rotate around vertical axes. Between the opposing branches of this endless side conveyor 17, which thus forms a lateral belt that runs in solidarity 18, there is a distance 19 that decreases in the direction of passage 10 at the entrance and at the place of the minor distance 19, at least the extension of the transported product 1b corresponds to the position of the shortest distance in the transverse direction 11 or is slightly larger.

Since the distance 19 in the direction of passage 10 is initially significantly greater than the transverse dimension of a product 1b, even if a product 1b is not in the transverse direction 11 in the correct transverse position on the product conveyor 7 ' ', this will be pushed through the two lateral conveyors of endless circulation 17 that will be pushed by their opposite branches towards the correct transverse position.

Since from the side conveyors of endless circulation 17 are arranged blade 29 that protrude outward in each case, in opposite positions of the side conveyor belts 17, these blade 29 push against the rear edge of the product 1b and align the product thus in the rotational position around the horizontal axis in the transverse direction in the case that the lateral conveyors 17 circulate slightly faster than the product conveyor 7 ". However, if the lateral conveyors 17 move slightly slower that the product conveyor 7 ", the product 1b moves with its front side against a pair of blades 29, and thus, is also aligned in its rotational position around the vertical axis.

Figure 4b shows another transverse positioning device 5.2, in which in both areas of the side edge of the product conveyor 7 "in the height range above, in which the through product 1b is reached,

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a transverse slider 16 is disposed respectively, whose front front surface circulates slightly in the direction of travel 10, and can be moved by means of a sliding pin 20 in the transverse direction 11.

The product 1b that passes between the transverse sliders 16 can be moved and positioned, extending in the transverse direction 11 one or both of the sliding pins 20 independently controllable by means of the respective slider 16.

Since the product 1b moves in this case in the direction of travel 10, the slide pin 20 can be, as shown here, dragged along a limited distance in the direction of travel 10 with the product speed 1b, or also, which is not shown in this case, can be pivoted around a vertical pivot axis, in which case, however, the contact face with the product of the transverse slider 16 is preferably convex.

In Fig. 4b, upstream of the transverse positioning device, a transverse position sensor 15 is determined which determines the transverse position of the product 1b to pass through there.

The solution shown in Figure 4b can be used to adjust the starting position of the transverse slider 16 in the transverse direction 11.

However, there is also another solution in which the transverse positioning device consists exclusively of a transverse position sensor 15 of this type, that is, it only determines the transverse position of the product 1b on the product conveyor, but it is not altered mechanically, but with the information of the transverse position of the tray it is adjusted in the respective transverse position at the ejection point 2.

Figure 4c shows another variant of a transverse positioning device 5.3:

in this case, both sides of the edge area of the product conveyor 7 "slightly above, that is, in the height range of the product 1b disposed above, a plate-shaped pivot segment 31 is located which is arranged in a horizontal plane and which is pivotable about a pivot axis 21. This pivot segment 31 comprises a contact surface 31a oriented towards the transported product 1b passing through the middle and representing one of the narrow sides of the plate, this being convexly curved so that its distance increases towards the vertical pivot axis 21 against the direction of passage 10.

By pivoting said pivot segment 31, or even both pivot segments 31 synchronously in the direction of travel 10, the distance 19 between the pivot segments 31 decreases and positions the product 1b in the transverse direction 11.

This, at the entrance is carried out with an angular velocity such that the mutually adjacent points of the two contact surfaces 31a move at the same speed in the direction of passage 10 as the product conveyor 7 "

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

 1 a, b

 product

 one'

 portion

 2

 tray

 2nd

 edge

 2b

 base

 3

 sealing film

 4

 mask

 4th

 edge

 4b

 wall

 5

 cross positioning device

 6

 liquid drops

 7

 product conveyor

 7a

 ejection edge

 8

 tray conveyor

 9

 lifting device

 10

 step direction

 eleven

 cross direction

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10

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twenty

25

12 passage opening (mask)

13 opening (tray)

14 suction material

15 transverse position sensor

16 transverse slider

17 side conveyor

18 side conveyor belts

19 distance

20 slip pin

21 pivot shaft

22 tray individualizer

23 tray output

24 support plate

25 slider device

26 mask conveyor

27 sealing device

27th sealing plunger

28 bumper

29 shovel

30 housing

30th front side

31 pivot segment

31st contact surface

50 control

50th screen

50b drive unit

Claims (16)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty 55 60 1. Procedure for inserting at least one flexible product (1a) into an open top tray (2), a) at least one product (1a) being transported in portions in the direction of passage (10) in portions on a product conveyor (7) that moves in the direction of passage (10) and ejected on its ejection edge (7a) with a horizontal speed in the direction of passage (10), b) moving the tray (2), which is placed underneath, in the direction of passage (10) during the expulsion of the product (1a) from the ejection edge (7a) together with the projected product (1a) until the product (1a) is located on the base (2b) of the tray (2), characterized in that c) before ejecting the product (1a) a mask (4) is placed on the tray (2), which completely covers the edge (2a) of the tray (2), and d) during the expulsion of the product (1a) carried out at a horizontal speed, the mask (4) is moved together with the tray (2). 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the product (1a) is ejected by the product conveyor (7) at a speed of at least 300 mm / s on the ejection edge (7a) and / or After removing the mask (4) from the tray (2), the tray (2) is closed tightly by applying a sealing film (3) on the edge (2a) of the tray (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mask (4) has a passage opening (12), from whose edges the walls (4b) protrude downward, and in particular the walls (4b) when positioning on the tray (2) are projected into the tray (2). 4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the mask (4) moves at the same height forward and backward and the tray (2) is raised and lowered for the trailed interlocking of the tray (2) and the mask (4) and - in particular the tray (2) moves with the product (1a) by means of the mask (4). 5. Method according to one of the preceding claims 1, characterized in that the mask (4) is lowered to the tray (2) until its walls (4b) touch the base (2b) of the tray (2). (Centering) 6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - at least one product (1a) is positioned on the product conveyor (7) in the transverse direction (11) and / or compressed in the transverse direction (11) through side belts (18) that approach transversely a against each other in the direction of passage (10) and move together with the product conveyor (7) in the direction of passage (10) and optionally contact the product (1a) laterally, and / or - at least one product (1a) is positioned on the product conveyor (7) in the transverse direction (11) with respect to the tray (2), determining the transverse position of the product (1a) on the product conveyor (7) , the tray (2) is positioned in the transverse direction (11) below the ejection edge (7a) of the product conveyor (7) in the previously determined transverse position of the product (1a) transported thereon. 7. Method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterized in that - at least one product (1a) is positioned on the product conveyor (7) in the transverse direction (11) and / or compressed in the transverse direction (11) pushing against the product in at least one transverse direction (11) , in particular, when the product (1a) is moved in the direction of passage (10) by means of transverse sliders (20) that are mutually oriented and fixed in the direction of passage (10), and - in particular, the transverse sliders (20) are fixed in the direction of passage (10) or move together with the product conveyor (7) in the direction of passage (10) over a limited distance, in particular , because the transverse sliders co-rotate on a vertical pivot axis spaced laterally spaced from the product conveyor (7), with the product conveyor and, in particular, comprise a convex plunger surface. Device for inserting at least one product (1a, b) with low flexural strength into a tray (2) open at the top according to one of the preceding process claims, the device comprising: 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five fifty 55 60 a) a product conveyor (7) for transporting at least one product (1a) in the direction of passage (10) and ejecting it on the ejection edge (7a) of the product conveyor (7) in which the ejection edge is set in the direction of passage (10), b) a transport device extending in the direction of passage (10) to move the tray (2) to a level below the ejection edge (7a) in the direction of passage (10), c) a control unit (50) that is configured to control the tray (2) with respect to the product conveyor (7) so that the tray (2) moves along the product (1a) ejected from the edge of ejection (7a) until the product (1a) rests on the base (2b) of the tray (2), characterized in that: d) a mask (4) is provided which is movable in the direction of passage (10) by a mask conveyor (26) e) before ejecting the product (1a), the mask (4) that completely covers the edge (2a) of the tray (2) is placed on top of the tray (2), and f) the mask (4) moves together with the tray (2) while the product (1a) is ejected with the horizontal speed. 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the mask (4) comprises: - an upper edge (4a) extending around a passage opening (12) the upper edge (4a) being able to completely cover the upper circumferential edge (2a) of the tray (2) in view from above, - circumferential walls (4b) extending downward from the inner edge contour (4a), the circumferential walls (4b) being configured in particular as a single annular circumferential wall (4b), and - in particular a mobile lifting device (9) in the direction of passage (10) to raise and lower the tray (2) to approach vertically, in particular insert the mask (4) and the tray (2) one into the other. 10. Device according to one of the preceding claims of the device, characterized in that: - a tray conveyor (8) is provided as a transport device for transporting the trays (2) in the direction of passage below the ejection edge (7a), or - The transport device for the trays (2) is the mask (4) which is mobile in the direction of passage (10) and forms its mask conveyor (26). 11. Device according to one of the preceding claims of the device, characterized in that: - the passage opening (12) of the mask (4) is large enough so that the walls (4b) of the mask (4) barely fit into the opening (13) of the tray (2) open at the top, in particular at least one of the walls (4b) of the mask (4) does not maintain any lateral distance to the respective wall of the tray (2), but instead contacts the wall and this applies in particular to all walls, I - the base (2b) of the tray (2) is covered by a suction material (14) that is configured to aspirate liquid drops (6) that adhere, for example, to a lower edge of a wall (4b) of the mask 4). (centering) 12. Device according to one of the preceding device claims, characterized in that A transverse positioning device (5.1) is arranged on the product conveyor (7), the transverse positioning device comprising two lateral belts that circulate in solidarity (18) arranged on both sides of the product (1a) in its elevation zone, approaching these belts transversely to each other in the direction of passage (10) and move together with the product conveyor (7), these side belts being particularly endless rotating side conveyors (17). 13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that - Endless rotating side conveyors (17) revolve around two vertical axes that are displaced in the direction of passage (10) and / or - the distance of the side belts (18) that move jointly in the direction of passage (10) at the end corresponds to a minimum of the product dimension (1a) in the transverse direction (11), and - in particular, at least the distance (19) in the direction of passage (10) at one end of the two lateral belts (18) that move in solidarity, is adjustable. 14. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a transverse positioning device (5.2) is arranged in the product conveyor (7), the transverse positioning device comprising two transverse sliders (16) movable between them and arranged in both sides of the product (1a) in its elevation range, in particular transverse emboli (16) that can only move relative to each other in the transverse direction (11), the transverse emblosures being deployable against the product (1b) in particular independently of each other in a controlled manner. 15. Device according to claim 14, characterized in that 5 - the transverse sliders (16) are movable in the direction of passage (10) at a limited distance, in particular at a speed of the product conveyor (7), or - the transverse sliders (16) are fixed in the direction of passage (10) and are pivotable in particular around 10 of a vertical pivot axis (21) at an end away from the sliding plunger (20), in particular so that the sliding plunger (20) has the speed of the product conveyor (7) in the direction of passage (10) and the sliding plunger (20) comprises, in particular, a bent convex face. 16. Device according to one of the preceding device claims, 15 characterized in that a transverse positioning device (5.3) is provided comprising a transverse position sensor (15) for the product (1a) in the product conveyor (7) and a transport device for the tray (2) which is mobile in a controlled manner in the transverse direction (11) and configured to adjust a transverse position of the tray (2) according to a certain transverse position of the product (1a).