METHOD OF HANDLING AND TRANSFERRING CONTAINERS LINED UP IN A SORTING MACHINE TO AN UNDERLYING FILLER AND APPARATUS THUS OBTAINED

Method and apparatus for handling containers (3) lined up in a sorting machine, or sorter (10), wherein a plurality of bulk containers (3) are selected and sorted and possibly aligned or straightened; the method involves picking the containers (3) from the machine (10) and transferring the containers or at least a part thereof in an area below the sorter itself where filling is carried out. Devices are adapted to transfer the containers below the sorting machine or sorter (10) by moving them along a non-linear path (21) where filling takes place; the path (21) includes at least one transfer stretch or portion circular and concentric to the sorting machine along which a series of filling taps are arranged.

SCOPE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention falls within the field of sorting machines and processing lines downstream of the same.

PRIOR ART

It is also known to arrange a series of transfer means, usually of the rotating star type, of the containers thus selected and aligned by said sorting machines or sorters and carry out in line further filling, capping, labeling, inspection, and finally packaging steps with a series of stand-alone machines.

DESCRIPTION AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide the art with a more compact working system, optimizing the overall dimensions and also the costs of transfer lines. The presence of the filler below the sorting machine allows optimizing the line space and by integrating further processing steps of the containers such as orientation and/or labeling and/or capping and more on the perimeter of the sorting machine, it implements a real monobloc of further processes.

Another object of the invention is to create a new working method for handling containers after the sorting machine.

Said objects and advantages are all achieved by the method of handling and transferring containers lined up in a sorting machine to an underlying filler and an apparatus thus made, object of the present invention, which is characterized as provided in the following claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With particular reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, an apparatus is shown which comprises a sorting machine or sorter10of containers310 (bottles, bottle preforms) preferably of plastic and a filler20. Said sorter10, as known, comprises means for selecting containers3and placing them according to a suitable placement. Generally, containers3are selected lying through a series of means known by the technical term of lifts, which are dropped in cradles and separators2that provide to the straightening thereof. In any case, the present invention already works with container3selected and somehow placed on the machine, ready to be picked and handled according to a path better described hereinafter.

A first object of the present invention is the method of handling containers3lined up in a sorting machine, or sorter10, wherein a plurality of bulk containers3are selected and sorted and possibly aligned or straightened and it involves picking the containers from said machine and transferring said containers or at least a part thereof in an area below the sorter itself where filling is carried out.

To this end, containers3are shifted vertically, at a lower level than the working one of the sorting machine or sorter10and moved along a non-linear path21where the filling step takes place; said path21provides for carrying out at least a circular transfer stretch or portion in which filling takes place having a working diameter smaller than or equal to that of handling of the containers in the sorting machine or sorter10. Said circular stretch or portion21is concentric with respect to the sorting machine or sorter10.

The movement of the sorting machine or sorter10and of the filler20preferably takes place independently, thus with separate motors but in a synchronous manner.

The method object of the present invention further involves picking the containers3from the sorting machine, or sorter10and moving at least a part thereof along a non-linear path31where the container3undergoes at least one further working step, such as orientation, labeling, inspection steps and more.

Path31comprises at least one circular transfer stretch or portion as part of said non-linear path where container3undergoes at least one further working step, such as orientation, labeling, inspection steps, and others; said circular stretch or portion30is concentric with respect to sorter10and having working diameter greater than or equal to the handling diameter of the containers in the sorting machine, or sorter10.

As highlighted inFIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the apparatus object of the invention is shown, comprising at least one sorting machine or sorter10of bulk containers3adapted to select the containers and a filler20, and includes means5adapted to transfer the containers below the sorting machine or sorter10moving them along a non-linear path21where the filling is carried out; said path includes at least one circular transfer stretch or portion concentric to the sorting machine10along which a series of filling taps are arranged. The movement of the containers3from the working diameter of the sorter10to a smaller or equal working diameter of the filler20preferably takes place through means which maintain the pitch thereof, such as stars or turntables which pick up and transfer and release the container3using mechanical, pneumatic or equivalent picking systems to introduce it along the subsequent non-linear filling path21.

Means such as supports and plates5, vertically movable, are provided for supporting and positioning containers3on a level below the picking point of the container from the sorting machine10; said devices such as supports or plates also carry out the extraction/reintroduction of containers3and are movable according to a radial direction of machine10with such an excursion as to translate containers3from a working diameter greater than or equal to that of sorter10where the container undergoes at least one further working step, such as orientation, labeling, inspection, and others, to a working diameter smaller than or equal to that of sorter10.

The extraction/reintroduction supports or plates5which move and support containers3are all arranged concentric and move integrally constrained to the axis of rotation of the sorting machine10itself, or separate and independent, but in any case being able to rotate in sync with the inner ring of the machine adapted to handle the straightened containers3.

In summary, said extraction/reintroduction supports or plates may provide one or more of the following movements:a. handling of containers3according to their own vertical axis for the rotation and orientation of container itself,b. handling of containers3vertically and positioning thereof on a level different from that of picking,c. handling of containers3according to a radial direction of machine10and of exit outside the same.
Usually containers3, when they fall vertically inside the machine, they fall and rest on a sliding plane4from which they are advanced as on an annular path inside the sorting machine.

According to a first embodiment, the sliding plane4is interrupted.

Containers3are transferred on said means5according to a non-linear, that is non-straight path.

The transfer takes place during the interruption.

Thereafter, the sliding plane resumes inside the machine.

The transferred container3is able to remain with bottom3aresting on plate5.

The plurality of plates5for handling and supporting the container can be integral with sorter10, i.e. are placed outside the fixed and cylindrical wall6of the latter. In this case, plates5are provided with the ability to rotate according to a same axis AA corresponding to that of the sorter, so as to rotate concentric and outside of the fixed cylindrical wall6.

Once container3is carried outside machine10, container3is moved integrally with the rotating parts of the machine.

Therefore, containers3rotate in the same direction of rotation as sorter10, i.e. as the turntables of cradles and separators.

FIG. 3only shows one plate5for convenience; this is provided with vertical, top-bottom movement with respect to the sliding plane of containers3, so as to arrive aligned to said sliding plane and allow the transfer.

Plate5is also provided with horizontal and radial movement with respect to the axis of machine10, thus possibility of placing the selected and straightened container3outside.

In addition, plate5is provided with movement on its own axis that allows carrying out the rotation on the plate itself.

InFIG. 4, instead, plate5is still outside the sorting machine10; container3, exactly at the point where the sliding plane4interrupts, freely falls below the sliding plane (inside the machine), rests on a plane8and by means of an additional thrust means, the movement inside the machine is carried out, although in lower position, to the plate, in this case still outside.

In the example, reference is made to a kind of pusher7, but equivalent systems may be used such as a pick up hand, thrust means and others; as a general rule, any suction or mechanical picking system which picks the container and moves it to the outside where a plate5is provided.

Preferably, plate5is part of the machine by means of a carousel or ring of plates which rotate axially with axis coincident with the axis of the sorting machine10.

In this case, the vertical movement is entrusted to container3.

The horizontal outlet movement is carried out by the picking members that transfer it.

The orientation function is carried out by plate5(which can rotate on itself).

Preferably, plate5runs along this circular concentric path, pulled in rotation by the rotation of the machine.

With reference toFIG. 5, another embodiment variant is shown. Now the plate ring is still external and concentric to the sorting machine, however the transfer takes place on the same plane4where the selected container is. The transfer is still carried out by thrust or picking means7as inFIG. 2.

In this case, the vertical movement of the container is subsequent.

The horizontal outlet movement is carried out by the picking members that transfer it.

The orientation function is carried out by the plate (which can rotate on itself).