FI105173B - Packing device for elongated objects - Google Patents

Description

105173

An oblong packing machine

The invention relates to an elongate article packaging device of the type shown in the preamble of claim 1.

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Elongated objects are objects that have one dimension greater than a dimension at right angles to it at a given plane. Examples of such objects are typically rectangular objects in the horizontal plane, e.g. egg-10 cells. Eggs are usually packaged by placing them on a conveyor in a grouping station where a pusher moving across the conveyor pushes them onto the grouping platform. A plurality of consecutive groups are brought along the conveyor path, queues formed by objects, which in turn are pushed on the grouping platform next to the preceding groups, whereby the objects 15 form a layer. Such a layer is further taken from the grouping tray for further processing to form a package, for example a pallet.

Due to the length / width ratio of elongated objects, the strings of objects pushed by the pusher 20 always form layers of a certain shape in the horizontal plane. This often results in situations where the filling of the space is not optimal. For example, European Patent Application EP-667 310 discloses a feeder in conjunction with a palletizer, which, after a conveying article carrying article, has a special pivoting means for rotating the object 25 in a direction 90 ° from the original. After that follow

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....; still grouping on a special grouping platform with pre-translated ones ··. objects are moved by special supports that protrude below the base.

* · These steps take a lot of time and reduce the packing capacity.

!; The same principle is set forth in European Patent 266,619, where • · 30 conveyors have a special turning device for turning objects upon request.

DE-2750741 discloses a solution for grouping sacks · ** 'so that they are introduced into the grouping area through two opposite sides T * f 35. In this case, in order to achieve a pattern in which the longitudinal directions of the objects are at an angle to each other, the other sacks must be moved perpendicular to the carrier conveying the sacks, i.e. the solution requires a transfer from one conveyor to another.

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It is an object of the invention to provide a remedy for these drawbacks, and according to the invention, the packaging device is essentially characterized by what is set forth in the characterizing part of claim 1 of the appended claims. 5 When an article-conveyor path is formed of two different angles, each having its own pusher, objects can be pushed onto the grouping platform through its two angled sides. Thus, for example, due to the dimensions of the objects, the otherwise incomplete edge can be filled with a second pusher by objects brought in from the other direction, the longitudinal directions of which are thus inclined with those introduced by the first pusher. The objects can be moved in the correct positions directly to the grouping tray, which forms a finished layer for further processing.

With respect to other preferred embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the attached dependent claims 2 to 6 and the description which follows.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a top view of the device according to the invention, Figure 2 shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of the device, and Figure 3 schematically shows two successive devices. . connected to the same product line.

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Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device according to the invention and its operating principle. The apparatus includes a conveyor track 1 for introducing elongated objects E, such as egg cells, into a grouping position such that the longitudinal direction of the objects coincides with the conveyor track 1. The grouping station includes a horizontal grouping platform 3 adjacent to the conveyor track, on which the 35 batches of articles E having two or more objects in succession are pushed by the pusher in the grouping station with the objects stopped on the transport web at the pusher. The conveyor track is approximately the same as the plane of the grouping platform 3, and the pusher moves horizontally • · • ««

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· · 3 105173, directly transverse to the direction of the conveyor track, and pushes the objects E from their longitudinal side in a horizontal motion onto the grouping platform 3.

As shown in Fig. 1, the conveyor track 1 consists of two successive portions, a first portion 1a with a first pusher 2a adjacent thereto and a second portion 1b followed by a second pusher 2b. The sections pass so that the points at which the corresponding pusher passes from the outside of the conveyor path towards the stacking platform 3 (impact areas of the pushers) are at right angles to each other. This is achieved by having a curve 4 between portions 1a and 1b along which the objects gradually rotate in the direction of portion 1b.

Figure 1 shows how there are at least two conveyor tracks 1 in parallel, each having a first portion 1a and a second portion 2a. The pushers 2a and 2b are in their extreme position outside the outer transport path, i.e. the transport path 1 furthest from the grouping platform 3, and can push objects on all parallel transport paths 1 in a single push motion onto the transport platform. Intermediate positions are also provided on both pushers 2a, 2b, whereby they are in the initial pushing position between the conveyor tracks and can push objects from the conveyor track closest to the grouping platform 3 to the grouping platform. The pushers 2a, 2b may be arranged to perform a reciprocating movement and to move up and down 25, in which case the pusher may return upwardly beyond the conveyor (s) 1 without obstructing the objects. . passage on the conveyor during its return movement.

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The conveyor paths 1 have stops 6 which hit the first objects 30 of the queues so that the queues remain within the impact area of the pusher. At least the stops of the first section 1a must be movable between the stop position and the release position. These stops 6 may also be movable in the longitudinal direction of the conveyors, as shown by the dashed line in the second section 1b, to adjust where 35 the queue enters the stacking platform 3. The pusher pusher surface is adjustable, e.g. hit the queues already on the ship.

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The location of the second conveyor track portions 1b as an extension of the first portions 1a provides the advantage that the queued objects E can be stopped at either the first pusher 2a or allowed to continue at the second pusher 2b, depending on which direction 5 the stacking platform 3 is desired. Items can also be fed while the pushing step is in progress. For example, when the first pusher 2a is pushing and is located between the first portion 1a of the conveyor and the stacking platform 3, objects E can be conveyed through the conveyor path behind it to the area of action of the second pusher 10b.

The advantage of having multiple parallel conveyors is that they can generally increase capacity. For example, when the first pusher 2a is pushing objects and between the conveyor tracks 15, objects can already be brought along the outer conveying path.

Fig. 1 shows, by way of example, one layer formed on a finished grouping substrate 3. The grouping platform 3 is limited by the opposing edge responses (not shown) which prevent the objects 20 from sliding off the substrate, but at least one of which must be displaceable at the layer so that the entire layer can be pushed away by the plane of the grouping platform 3. In the layer, first, a plurality of three objects E are pushed by a first pusher 2a to the opposite edge of the grouping platform, then two rows of two objects E are brought parallel to the area of action of a second pusher 2b which has pushed them side by side. into the 3 grouping platform.

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Fig. 2 shows another alternative to arrange the objects through two sides of two spaced grouping trays 3 on the grouping platform. Here, the first portion 1a and the second portion 1b of the conveyor track consist of conveyor paths parallel to and facing the grouping platform 3, which curve at two corners of the grouping platform at 90 degrees to each other. Again, this provides the same opportunity to group elongated objects parallel to the portions from the side by pushing in two different directions on the grouping tray 3. As shown in the figure,-. the first portion 1a, which extends to the long side of the rectangular grouping group 105173 on the base 3, consists of two parallel conveyors, and the second side 1b to the shorter side consists of one conveyor. However, even the shorter side can have more conveyor tracks. In addition, the dashed lines indicate the possibility that after the longitudinal portion 1a there is still a third portion 1c which, as in Fig. 1, extends the first portion extending to the shorter side of the grouping base 3, i.e. , 2b and 2c object strings from three different directions.

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Figure 3 shows schematically the location of the devices in a larger entity. The objects E are introduced along a common feed line 7, which forks its own packing device into a feed line 8, terminating in a dispenser 9 where the sequentially introduced objects are divided into the parallel conveyor paths 1 described in more detail above. which transfer objects from feed line 8 to conveyor 1 or to allow objects to continue their journey to second parallel conveyor 1, which is a direct extension of feed line 8, the dispenser 9 has transducers 20 which extend or move objects to first conveyor 1a or to second conveyor 1 b on the conveyor.

Figure 3 also shows the point of further processing of the horizontal layers formed by articles. The finished layer is pushed by the entire layer pusher 5 (also shown in Figure 1) connected to the grouping platform 3, which during the grouping step has been moved away from the objects E, between the special tabs 10 which transfer it onto the pallet P The vertical walls of the sales and transport packaging have already been affixed, with one side 9 remaining open for the transfer of layers of articles. The push and tongues thus form transfer means for transferring layers on top of the final transport platform.

The movements of the various parts can be accomplished by standard actuator solutions, for example by using pneumatic cylinders. In addition, standard feed automation solutions, such as counters, switches, etc., can be used to feed objects and create strings of objects to be pushed from different directions and to guide them to the correct positions. uses mechanical conveyor structures known in the packaging industry. The body of the device can be provided with rails known per se, to which the actuators can be attached and which control the movements of various moving parts such as pushers.

The pusher need not necessarily be up and down, but could in principle return directly to the same horizontal path after its pushing movement, since objects can also be carried behind the pusher 10 with the pusher in the forward position. However, in this case, the objects cannot be stopped behind the pusher, i.e. such a reciprocating motion can only be used in the pusher 2a. Thus, the movement of the pushers and the existence of parallel conveyors 1 provide numerous possibilities for grouping object strings into the grouping platform 3.

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Of course, the grouping of object strings shown in Figure 1 is not the only possible and can be varied according to the available object sizes. In addition, objects of different sizes may also be present in a single layer formed, for example, in object strings imported from the same direction, the objects may be of the same size but different in size compared to objects imported from the other direction. In addition, grouping can be varied in layers overlapping the final package, for example, the next layer to be formed on grouping tray 3 may now have an object string introduced from a different direction relative to other object strings. This avoids • vertical seams at the boundaries of object strings passing through the finished package, and the layers of objects are superimposed to form a more stable form.

The objects to be processed can be of any size in principle. The structure is particularly well suited to articles of external dimensions which have a longer width than horizontal in the cut (parallel to the plane of the conveyor belt). The height perpendicular to the horizontal cut, i.e. the height, may be less than the width, as with egg cells, but may also be as large as many biscuits. The grouping principle is particularly well suited for relatively small packages sold at retail level, such as those less than 50 cm in length.

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Claims (6)

7 iriR 1 Τλ Claims: ιυυ ι / o An elongate article packing device comprising a conveyor (1) for introducing objects (E) into a grouping station and a pusher in the grouping station 5 and a grouping platform (3), the machine being arranged to transfer articles (E) from the conveyor to grouping platform (3) ) is a first portion (1a) and a first pusher (2a) arranged to transfer objects (E) from the first portion (1a) to a grouping platform (3) and a second portion (1b) and associated 10 second pusher (2b) to transfer objects (E) from the second portion (1b) to the same grouping platform (3) from a different direction relative to the direction of transferring objects (E) from the first portion (1a), characterized in that the second portion (1b) that the first portion (1a) and the second portion (1b) are adjacent to the grouping platform (3) at an angle to each other and the pushers (2a, 2b) are arranged to push objects (E) through two angled sides of the grouping platform (3) onto the grouping platform. Packaging device according to Claim 1, characterized in that in the conveying direction of the objects, the first portion (1a) is extended by a pivot point in which the longitudinal direction of the objects is rotated, followed by a second portion (1b) of the conveyor. : \ i 25 Packaging device according to claim 2, characterized in that •; j is a curve (4) between the first and second portions. I I <r <f i Packaging device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the first portion (1a) and the second portion (1b) of the conveyor (1) are formed separately from the portions introduced into their respective sides of the grouping tray. ta. • · · v Packaging device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are at least two conveyor tracks (1) side by side. . 35 Packaging device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises transfer means (5, 10) for the grouping tray: (3) for transferring layers of successively formed objects (E) rally on an object carrier. 105173 8