Article picking and treating apparatus

Article picking and treating apparatus The present invention provides an apparatus for picking and treating articles simultaneously, said picking and treating each being operated at a first and a second conveying line.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application No.: PCT/EP2020/071601, filed Jul. 30, 2020, which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 19189056.5, filed Jul. 30, 2019, and European Patent Application No. 19219880.2, filed Dec. 27, 2019, the entire contents of which all are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to an article picking and treating apparatus.

BACKGROUND

In the recent years, there has been a many-fold increase in the trend of grouping large number of articles or items such as food items, including liquid foods, home essentials, stationary items, beverage containers, and the like, in the form of secondary packages, for various purposes such as to enable bulk selling, easy transportation, handling, and the like.

Generally, the packaging of one or more articles in so-called secondary packages involves multiple steps including receiving a supply of such articles from one or more in-feeds, picking up and dropping these in the packages and then closing the packages.

Numerous attempts have been made to develop improved systems for increased speed and accuracy.

Conventionally, moving items from an article feed conveyor into open receptacles, such as for example cardboard boxes, is achieved by means of effectors and/or manipulators, which may also take the form of robots or automatons. One such robotic arm is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,455 (“Robotic Case Packaging System and Method”), the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Further, some high-speed robotic arms as one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,582 are also utilized.

However, such conventional robotic transfer mechanisms are often not able to accommodate high speed handling because of the use of multiple feed lines, one supplying articles and the other supplying open packages.

Various other transfer mechanisms have been developed for picking up articles from the infeed-line and depositing them within the packages at a second conveying line. For example, DE19731656C1 discloses a device, that can automatically transfer articles from a first conveyor to a second conveyor, in order to organize or distribute individual packages.

German patent no. 4204993 discloses a mechanism for supplying containers to a continuously operating packaging machine. The mechanism includes a plurality of gripping heads which are hinged at one lever, respectively, while being rotationally driven. In addition, the patent discloses the use of an additional conveyor belt for guiding the articles towards the direction of the respective gripping heads. Bottles are arranged in rows, stopped at one end of the conveyor belt by a stop, and accepted by one of the gripping heads. Once they have been accepted, the stop is lowered. Further bottles having moved up in the meantime and can be accepted by another gripping head and dropped into another following crate.

However, such conventionally known transfer systems have several shortcomings, for example, these mechanisms generally require the packaging cartons to be held generally stationary while the packages are being inserted therein and therefore are subjected to intermittent motion in connection with the carton filling operation. Particularly this intermittent motion requires rapidly accelerating and/or decelerating these supplies of articles as well as packages which in turn may cause collision of the articles against each other and in some instances within the packages which receive them.

To overcome the above problem, this transfer mechanism must be able to manage a “pitch” adjustment between individual articles or article groupings and/or packages. Pitch is generally defined as a central distance between two consecutive items, whatever the items are. Currently, this pitch is set and monitored by multi-axes robots capable of line-tracking the articles, items or (box-shaped) packages. The loading follows a pre-determined grouping of articles to be packed, corresponding to a certain number of units of articles or products per package (e.g., box). Further, some variable-pitch pick and place devices have been developed, such as the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,134, to provide the capability of simultaneous pick-up and deposit even where the pitch of one feed may differ from that of another feed. However, such in-line tracking and variable pick-up mechanisms adjustment requires a lot of calculations and analysis, and within a constant changing environment, it is a considerable challenge.

Additionally, the currently known transfer systems are accommodated to transfer a predetermined group of articles having a shape, configuration, size, or number of articles in a fixed size package. If however, there is a need to switch to a different configuration, package shape, package size or other, these robotic arms and other currently known machines require a manual adjustment. Such manual change-over period impacts productivity and is an expensive delay in any Plant.

Accordingly, as can be understood from the foregoing discussion, none of the existing solutions completely provide the flexibility of using a same packaging machine to handle varying configurations, shapes and pitches during an intermittent and/or continuous packaging operation of various kind of articles within a package. Thus, in the context of the above, an improved article picking and treating apparatus is desired, which while being cost effective and easy to implement allows to carry out packaging even with varying pitches, shapes, sizes, arrangements, and the like without needing interchanging elements and components.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the invention, a article picking and treating apparatus for picking up a set of articles from a first conveying line and releasing into a package at a second conveying line is provided. The article picking and treating apparatus includes a pair of closed loop conveying tracks having one or more pairs of vertically movable modular track portions. The apparatus further includes a plurality of support means configured generally transversally to the pair of closed loop tracks, each extending between and movably connected to the pair of closed loop tracks at its opposite ends, through a support movement mechanism. The article picking and treating apparatus further includes a plurality of gripper sets movingly supported onto the plurality of support means.

The apparatus is adapted such that, in operation, horizontal movement of the plurality of support means across the pair of closed loop conveying tracks and a vertically upward and/or downward movement of the one or more pairs of modular track portions are synchronized in such a way that one or more of the gripper sets is adapted to selectively pick up a set of articles from a first location while one or more of the gripper sets selectively treats a set of already picked articles at a second location. It should be understood that each vertically moveable modular track portion is a portion of a respective closed loop conveying track, and that each pair of said vertically moveable modular track portions includes a first modular track portion being part of a first track of said pair of closed loop conveying tracks and a second modular track portion being part of the second track of said pair of closed loop conveying tracks.

The horizontal movement of the plurality of support means across the pair of closed loop conveying tracks and a vertically upward and/or downward movement of the one or more pairs of modular track portions are synchronized in such a way that when one or more support means supporting one or more gripper sets is located on a pair of vertically moveable modular track portions, upward and/or downward movement of these track portions is performed in order to selectively pick up a set of articles from a first location while one or more of the gripper sets of another support means selectively treats a set of already picked articles at a second location. Alternatively, synchronization may be in such a way that when one or more support means is located on a pair of vertically moveable modular track portions, upward and/or downward movement of these track portions is performed in order to selectively treat a set of already picked articles at a second location while one or more of the gripper sets of another support means selectively picks up a set of articles at a first location.

The apparatus may adapted such that in operation, when one or more support means supporting one or more gripper sets is located on a first pair of vertically moveable modular track portions and one or more support means is located on the second pair, upward and/or downward movement of the two pairs or two sets of track portions is performed in order to selectively pick up a set of articles from a first location while one or more of the gripper sets of the other support means selectively treats and/or discharge a set of already picked articles at a second location.

The horizontal movement may include recirculating and/or reciprocating and/or bi-directional movement of the plurality of support means.

Preferably, the apparatus has two pairs of vertically moveably modular track portions, such that when one support means supporting one or more gripper sets is located on a first pair of vertically moveable modular track portions and a second support means is located on the second pair, upward and/or downward movement of these two pairs of track portions is performed in order to selectively pick up a set of articles from a first location while one or more of the gripper sets of another support means selectively treats a set of already picked articles at a second location.

Preferably, the parallel closed loop conveying tracks may be independent motion controlled, or the plurality of gripper sets may be movingly configured in an independent motion controlled fashion, and more preferably both the conveying tracks and the gripper sets are independent motion controlled. In the context of the present invention, articles may be of any type, food or non-food.

In the context of the present invention, treating articles may include performing any type of action on the articles, such as packing, orienting, mounting, fixing, gluing, welding, printing, labeling, surface treating, inspecting etc., and combinations thereof. More specifically in the beverage industry, treating may in addition also comprise closing beverage containers, for example by gripping crowns at a first location, while closing beverage containers at a second location with already picked up crowns.

In the context of the present invention a gripper head is generally adapted to pick up an article. It may be further adapted to perform any treatment, i.e. any type of action, on the picked-up articles at a second location as mentioned earlier.

Generally, the support movement mechanism includes a plurality of pairs of support movers, preferably independently motion controlled, each pair adapted to movingly engage one of the support means through an engagement means.

Further, the engagement means includes a pair of engaging lugs, each connected to one of the pair of support movers, and adapted to engage one end of the support means such that a horizontal movement of the pair of support movers horizontally moves the support means connected there between.

Particularly, the plurality of support means includes a plurality of rails extending between the pair of closed loop tracks and in a direction generally parallel to the first conveying line and the second conveying line.

Possibly, each of the gripper set includes one or more individual gripping heads arranged in a predetermined configuration movingly supported onto the corresponding support means.

Optionally, each of the gripper sets is longitudinally movable onto the corresponding support means through a gripper movement mechanism between a first end connected to a first conveying track and a second end connected to a second conveying track. The gripper movement mechanism is preferably independently motion controlled.

Further optionally, the gripper movement mechanism includes a plurality of gripping movers movingly configured onto each of the plurality of support means and adapted to engage one of the gripping heads therewith.

Optionally, one or more of the support means may support an article treatment device different from the gripper sets. For example, gripper sets may be alternated with a set of printing heads, a set of gluing heads, or any other functional element for performing an action onto a set of articles.

Yet further optionally, each of the longitudinally movable gripper-sets of the plurality of gripper sets has an independently varyingly adjustable pitch there between.

Moreover, the variably adjustable pitch of each of the gripper sets is determined on the basis of one or more factors selected from but not limited to difference in speed of conveying lines, difference between pitch of packages, arrangement of beverage containers, and the like.

In an embodiment, the gripper sets may be adapted to pick up the set of articles from a first conveying line and adapted to treat already picked up articles at a second conveying line.

In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus is adapted such that in operation the horizontal and/or circular movement of the plurality of support means across the pair of closed loop conveying tracks and the vertical movement of one or more pairs of the modular track portions are synchronized in such a way that at least one of the gripper sets is adapted to pick up a set of articles from the first conveying line, while at least one or more other gripper sets is adapted to drop a set of already picked up articles in a package at the second conveying line simultaneously.

Possibly, the article picking and treating apparatus includes a first powering means for powering the pair of closed loop conveying tracks selected from one or more of but not limited to linear motors (or equivalent independent mover transportation device), servo motors and synchronic and/or asynchronic motor drives.

Further possibly, the article picking and treating apparatus includes a second powering means for enabling, preferably independently, motion controlled, movement of each of the plurality of movers including the support movers and the treatment set movers wherein further the second powering means is selected from one or more of but not limited to linear motors (or any type of independent motion controlled mover transportation device), servo motors and synchronic and/or asynchronic motor drives.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the support means and/or gripper sets and/or the gripping heads may be wirelessly powered, for example via sliding contacts on the support movers and gripping movers, or preferably contactless powered, for example by providing inductive power to the support movers and gripping movers. Further, the vertically moveable track portions and/or the support means, and/or the gripper sets and/or the gripping heads may be wirelessly controlled, including but not limited to short range wireless, such as Bluetooth, Infrared, Microwave, Narrow through Broad Band Telecommunications, WLAN, WAN, or Internet protocols and the like, preferably in combination with wirelessly powering. Fast, deterministic wireless automation and control and wireless power supplies to realize synchronized, highly flexible, large range picking, treating and dropping operations, even while the articles are in transit.

Preferably, the first conveying line is an output line of an article manufacturing unit, optionally but not necessarily, having one or more means for grouping and/or arranging the articles in the predetermined configuration, whereas the second conveying line is an output of a package forming unit.

Possibly, the package is an already formed top open box having one or more side flaps for facilitating a closure thereof.

Further possibly, the package may be formed of a foldable blank of a material selected from one or more of, but not limited to, carton or corrugated paperboard, thermoplastic, hybrid material, laminated board and the like.

Optionally, the article picking and treating apparatus further includes a guiding unit adapted to keep the packages in an open state during the release of already picked up articles therein.

Possibly, the article picking and treating apparatus further includes a control unit adapted for synchronizing the horizontal and/or circular movement of the plurality of support means across the pair of closed loop conveying tracks and the vertical movement of one or more pairs of the modular track portions in such a way that at least one of the gripper sets is adapted to pick up the set of articles from the first conveying line, while at least one other gripper set is adapted to drop a set of already picked up articles in a package at the second conveying line simultaneously. Said control unit may further be adapted for synchronizing and optimizing the movement of each of the conveying tracks, the support movers, the gripping movers, the gripping heads, in accordance to a desired pick-up and/or drop operation either continuously and/or intermittently.

Further possibly, the control unit includes one or more sensors, one or more input units, a processor unit and an output unit.

In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention, a method of packaging a set of articles is disclosed. The method includes receiving a continuous and/or intermittent supply of articles at the first conveying line. The method further includes grouping the articles at the first conveying line in a predetermine configuration and/or arrangement. Furthermore, the method includes receiving a continuous and/or intermittent supply of packages at the second conveying line. The method furthermore includes synchronizing a horizontal and/or circular movement of the plurality of support means across the pair of closed loop conveying tracks and a vertical movement of one or more pairs of the modular track portions in such a way that each of the gripper sets is facilitated to selectively pick up a set of articles from the first conveying line and/or to selectively release already picked up articles into one of the packages at the second conveying line.

Furthermore, the method includes optimizing the longitudinal movement of the gripper sets onto the corresponding means in accordance to a predetermined configuration of the set of articles to be packed.

Optionally, the method includes orienting the set of articles before releasing them within the package at the second conveying line.

Optionally, in another aspect of the present invention, a stand-alone guiding unit may be provided as described throughout this text.

Other aspects, features and advantages of the subject matter disclosed herein will be apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As illustrated inFIG.1, the present invention provides an article picking and treating apparatus100for picking and treating a set of articles (not shown) received at a first location, while treating an already picked up set of articles at a second location. The article picking and treating apparatus100includes a pair of generally parallel closed loop conveying tracks110having one or more pairs of vertically movable modular track portions111. The article picking and treating apparatus100further includes a plurality of support means112, each extending between and movably connected to the pair of closed loop tracks110, in a longitudinal direction LSgenerally parallel to the generally parallel closed loop conveying tracks110. The article picking and treating apparatus100further includes a vertical movement mechanism115for moving each of the pair of the modular track portions111in a vertically upward and/or downward direction and a support movement mechanism130adapted to circularly move each of the support means112in a generally widthwise direction WD, across the pair of conveying tracks110.

The article picking and treating apparatus100furthermore includes a plurality of gripper sets120movingly supported onto each of the support means112. Each of the gripper sets120include one or more individual gripping heads122arranged in a predetermined configuration and movingly supported for independent motion controlled operation onto the support means112through a gripper movement mechanism140. Each of the gripper sets120is adapted to perform an operation selected from pickup and treating a predetermined set of articles to be packed by the article picking and treating apparatus100. In operation, the circular movement of the plurality of support means112, including the longitudinal movement of the plurality of gripper sets120supported thereon, and the vertical movement of the pair modular track portions111is synchronized in such a way that one or more gripper sets120is adapted to selectively, statically or dynamically pick up a set of articles from a first location while one or more of the gripper sets selectively, statically or dynamically treat a set of already picked articles at a second location. Preferably, the first and second locations are a first and second conveying line in parallel. In that case, the apparatus enables transferring and treating articles in a direction transversal to the conveying lines while these lines are moving in continuous operation.

In description of theFIG.2that follow, elements common to the schematic system will have the same number designation unless otherwise noted.FIGS.2and3, illustrates an exemplary article picking and treating apparatus200employed to pack a supply of beverage containers290statically or dynamically received at a first conveying line202statically or dynamically into a supply of packages received at the second conveying line204or onto the base panels of packaging material blanks still to be erected at the secondary conveying line204. Optionally, the article picking and treating apparatus is adapted to intermittently pick up one or more already filled beverage containers290from the first conveying line202and release the same within one or more packages280at the second conveying line204carrying a feed of a plurality of already formed top and/or side opened packages280.

In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of beverage containers290received at the first conveying line202is optionally and not essentially formed into groups in accordance to a desired predetermined arrangement. However, in other embodiments, the article picking and treating apparatus200may include a grouping means (not shown) adapted to group the supply of beverage containers within the desired predetermined arrangement. The system being capable of statically or dynamically picking articles from the first conveying line and performing collating, grouping, pitching and either static or dynamic delivery of the desired row/column article formats onto or into packaging at the second conveying line. The grouping means in such instance may include any suitable grouping mechanism already known in the art, for grouping and arranging the beverage containers at an out-feed of a conveying line.

The article picking and treating apparatus200includes a pair of independent motion controlled closed loop conveying tracks210, including a first track210aand a second track210b, both generally in the form of circular tracks extending generally perpendicular to the first conveying line202and the second conveying line204. The pair of closed loop conveyors210includes one or more pairs of vertically movable modular track portions211adapted to move vertically upward and/or downward through a vertical movement mechanism270.

In an embodiment, the vertical movement mechanism270includes a pair of outer rails271, one positioned along each of the connecting end CEof the modular track portions211with the corresponding conveying track210. The vertical movement mechanism270further includes a rail receiving slot272configured on each of the circular tracks210at one or more points of contact C with the corresponding connecting end CEof the pair of modular track portions211. Each of the receiving slots272is configured to movingly receive the corresponding outer rails271such that the pair of outer rails271is adapted to move vertically upwards and downward through the rail receiving slot so as to facilitate an upward and/or downward movement to the corresponding pair of modular track portions211between a top position T and a bottom position B thereof.

However, in other embodiments, the vertical movement mechanism270may include any suitable and conventionally known vertical movement mechanism that may be utilized for the selective movement of each of the pair of modular track portions211between the top position T and the bottom position B.

As illustrated inFIG.2, the article picking and treating apparatus200further includes a plurality of independent motion controlled support means212extending transversally between the pair of conveying tracks210a,210b, and in a direction generally parallel to the first conveying line202and the second conveying line204. Each of the plurality of support means212is movingly connected to the pair of tracks210at each of its end through an independent motion controlled support movement mechanism230.

In an embodiment as illustrated inFIGS.4aand4b, the support means212may be in the form of a support rail212, comprising a generally linear rail having a first end EFconnected to the first track210aand a second end ESconnected to the second track210bthrough the support movement mechanism230such that a longitudinal direction LSof each support means212is generally perpendicular to each of the conveying tracks210a,210band extends there between to facilitate a connection between the tracks210.

As disclosed earlier, the independent motion controlled support movement mechanism230is a movement mechanism generally adapted to move each of the support means212along the pair of conveying tracks210. In a preferred embodiment, the support movement mechanism230includes a pair of independent motion controlled support movers232, each configured at an opposite end of the supporting rail212through one or more engagement means234. Further, each of the support movers232is movingly connected to one of the conveying tracks210such that independent motion controlled movement of the pair of support movers232allows the possibility of moving the corresponding support rail212in an independent motion controlled manner circularly about the pair of conveying tracks210.

In an embodiment, the engagement means234includes a pair of engaging lugs, each connected to one of the pair of support movers232, and adapted to engage the opposite ends of the support rail212such that each of the supporting rails212is movable towards and away from each other in a widthwise direction WDalong the pair of circular tracks210.

The article picking and treating apparatus200further includes a plurality of gripper sets220movingly supported and independently motion controlled onto the support means212, adapted to perform pickup and/or release operations for the beverage containers290during the packaging thereof.

The gripper set220includes a plurality of individual gripping heads222grouped together within a predetermined arrangement. The gripping head222is generally a bottle picker and/or releasing component. In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated inFIG.4c, the gripping head222includes a gripper body224extending towards a downwardly protruding head226adapted to selectively perform an operation selected from pick up and/or release operations. The head226is of a shape and/or size and/or dimension complementary to the shape, size, or dimension of the article290and/or a contact portion thereof so as to enable the possibility of performing the pick-up and/or release operation.

The gripping head222may further include an orienting mechanism223adapted to rotate for example beverage containers picked therewith in a desired orientation, before dropping these onto the second conveying line204. The container orienting mechanism223may be selected from one or more of, but not limited to, any suitable conventional rotating mechanism such as a rotational servo motor, and the like.

In other embodiments, the gripping head222may be selected from any conventionally mechanism known in the art and suitable for picking and/or releasing articles. Possibly, in the case of the articles being beverage containers, the gripping head may include a gripper body extending towards a downwardly protruding beverage container head adapted to selectively perform an operation selected from pick up and/or release operation. In such case, the gripping head may be an electric tulip gripper, optionally equipped with built-in sensors such as for example a closure sensor. The orientation mechanism may enable rotation up to 360°.

In a preferred embodiment, article rotation to spin or otherwise rotate the article may be realized via a motor mounted within and fully integrated with the body of the gripping mover, preferably with angular position sensing encoder. Further more, spin or rotation is powered and controlled by wireless, contactless inductive power supply/s and controlled also by the wireless machine automation. The system including appropriate wireless feedback sensing likewise via a two-way wireless machine automation and control system, powered by a slide power supply or contactless, wireless inductive power supply system/s, all of which enable untethered freedom of far ranging yet controlled motion and operation. The motor may be a stepper, permanent magnet, servo motor or the like suitably powerful and controllable for the duty and small enough to fit.

In a preferred embodiment, the gripping head is an electrically activated tulip optionally complete with container presence and container closure presence sensing along with optional solenoid activation sensing. The electric tulip is realized via the said wireless machine control and either the slide power supply or contactless, wireless power supply, all of which enable untethered freedom of far ranging yet controlled motion and operation.

In a preferred embodiment, each of the gripping heads222is individually independently motion controlled movable along the support rail212between the first end EFand the second end ES, using one or more gripper movement mechanisms240(FIG.4a). In some instances, the gripper movement mechanism240includes a plurality of grippers movers242movingly configured onto each of the support rails212such that each of the movers242is adapted to movingly engage in an independently motion controlled manner one of the gripping heads222therewith. Accordingly, in such embodiments, the predetermined arrangement of the gripping heads222within each of the gripper sets220may be changed dynamically by independent motion controlled relative movement between the support rails212in the widthwise direction WDand independent motion controlled movement of the gripping heads222in the longitudinal direction LSthereof.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, each of the gripping head222is stationary to the corresponding gripper set220, which in turn is itself movable along the support rail212between the first end EFand the second end ESusing the one or more gripper movement mechanism240. In such instances, the gripper movement mechanism240includes a plurality of treatment set movers242movingly configured onto each of the support rails212such that each of the movers242is adapted to movingly engage one of the gripper sets220therewith. Further in such embodiments, the predetermined arrangement of the gripping heads222within each of the gripper sets220may be changed dynamically only in a widthwise direction by moving the rails212towards and/or away from each other.

In an embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated inFIGS.5a,5b,5c, the article picking and treating apparatus200further includes a guiding unit300for facilitating the release of the already picked articles290within the package280such that closure of the package280is avoided during the article release operation. Further, such guiding unit300is adapted to guide the release of the containers290in the package280with a funnel effect, so as to avoid any contact between the containers290and sidewalls282of the package280such that any damage and/or scratch to the package280and/or articles290during the release operation is avoided. The guiding unit includes300an overhead frame310(FIG.5c) formed of at least two spaced apart generally parallel longitudinal rails312including a first longitudinal rail312a, and a second longitudinal rail312bconnecting and extending between two or more spaced apart generally parallel transverse rails314including a first transverse rail314a, and a second transverse rail314b. Each of the longitudinal rails312a, and312bis movable in a horizontal direction towards and away from each other using one or more guiding rail movement mechanism320.

The guiding rail movement mechanism320is generally a mechanism allowing the possibility of movement of longitudinal rails312of the overhead frame310along the transverse rails314. In a preferred embodiment, the guiding rail movement mechanism320includes one or more pairs of connecting members322comprising a first connecting member322a, and a second connecting member322b, each pair of the connecting members322adapted to engage one of the longitudinal rails312at its opposite end.

Further, the guiding rail movement mechanism320includes a plurality of rail movers324movingly connected to the transverse rails314. Each of the rail movers324is adapted to movingly engage one of the connecting members322such that a horizontal movement of each of the pair of connecting member322along the corresponding transverse rails314is made possible thereby enabling a movement of longitudinal rails312in a direction towards and away from each other.

The guiding unit300further includes one or more pairs of parallel guiding means330, including a first guiding means330a, and a second guiding means330b(FIG.5b) movably connected to the parallel longitudinal rails312aand312bthrough a plurality of guiding movers334. Each of the pairs of guiding means330is adapted to be received in the package280such that each of the guiding means330a,330bconforms to at least one inner side wall (which may be a corner) of the package280such that when in contact with the side wall it avoids a closure of a side-flap extended from the said side wall.

The apparatus200further includes a first powering means (not shown) for enabling a movement of the pair of conveying tracks210, the overhead frame310, the first conveying line202, the second conveying line204, the grouping means (not shown) and various sub-components thereof. the said first powering means may be a linear servo motor facilitating a continuous operation of each of the components of the article picking and treating apparatus200. However, in other embodiments, the first powering means is a linear servo motor facilitating an intermittent operation of each of the components of the article picking and treating apparatus200.

The article picking and treating apparatus200further includes a second powering means (not shown) for enabling a movement of each of the movers including, the support movers232, the treatment set movers242, the rail movers324, and the guiding movers334along the corresponding tracks and/or rails. the said second powering means may be a linear servo motor such as e.g. of a generally moving magnet type of motor conventionally known in the art.

In other embodiments, the movers232,242,324,334are utilized as stators whereas the tracks or rails are utilized as the rotors. In such an embodiment, each of the movers232,242,324,334include built in coils and each of the corresponding tracks or rails include a plurality of magnets configured thereon in a longitudinal direction such that the movers are able to come into an electromagnetic interaction, thereby enabling their movement.

The article picking and treating apparatus200may further include one or more control units (not shown) for managing the operations thereof, and particularly for managing the working of the first and second powering means and thus the movement of the support movers232and the treatment set movers242, in a predetermined sequence, so as to optimize the grouping of the gripper heads222in accordance to a desired predetermined arrangement of articles290in a package280.

In some embodiments, the control unit may include an input unit for receiving the predetermined arrangement of articles290to be formed and received within the package280. Further, the control unit may include a plurality of sensors for tracking the parameters such as for example, position of the package280, arrangement of articles290, and the like. The control unit may further include a processor unit for processing the data captured by the input unit on the basis of predetermined logics and rules for facilitating the movement of the components of the article picking and treating apparatus200. The control unit may further include an instruction unit that delivers the instructions to various components such as various powering means, linear motors, motors, driving units, or the like, to facilitate a desired and smooth operation.

In some embodiments, the control unit may be provided as a computer program product, such as may include a computer-readable storage medium or a non-transitory machine-readable medium maintaining instructions interpretable by a computer or other electronic device, such as to perform one or more processes.

FIG.2schematically show the arrangement of the basic components of the article picking and treating apparatus200of the present invention. However, in the construction of commercial functional units, secondary components such as couplers, connectors, support structures and other functional components known to one of skill in the field of article picking and treating apparatuses and more particularly the article picking and treating apparatus for secondary package for use with conveyor systems, may be incorporated within the article picking and treating apparatus200. Such commercial arrangements are included in the present invention as long as the structural components and arrangements disclosed herein are present. Accordingly, it is to be contemplated that the article picking and treating apparatus200may be configured to be used for any kind of secondary packages of any possible shape as deems possible without deviating from the scope of the current invention.

Further, within the preferred embodiment, the secondary package280may be formed from a recyclable material selected from one or more of, but not limited to, any desired material such as including all kind of papers, fiberboard, corrugated board, hybrid material, or any combinations thereof. In some other embodiments, the secondary package280may be made of a light-weight plastic material selected from one or more of but not limited to plastic material such as group of thermoplastics including acetal, acrylic, cellulose acetate, polyethylene, polystyrene, vinyl, and nylon.

Further, the shape and size, including the height of the package280may be varied depending on the design constraints and requirements for its application. For example, within the instances when the package280is adapted to house twelve containers in one layer in a 3×4 arrangement the carton is dimension accordingly. Further, in other instances, the carton may be sized and shaped to hold containers of a different or same quantity in a single layer, more than two layers, and/or in different row/column arrangements (e.g., 1×6, 3×6, 2×6, 4×6, 2×3×4, 2×6×2, 2×9, 3×5, 3×5×2, etc.). Further, in yet other instances, the packages280may be formed in various possible symmetrical as well as asymmetrical shapes.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the conveying tracks210of the article picking and treating apparatus200including the pair of conveying circular tracks210, the first conveying line202, and the second conveying line204may be generally vertically or horizontally positioned independently motion controlled circular tracks conventionally known in the art. In yet other embodiments of the present invention, each of the conveying tracks210of the article picking and treating apparatus200including the pair of conveying circular track210, the first conveying line202, and the second conveying line204may be configured as virtual independently motion controlled closed loop conveyors.

As known in the art, the virtual closed loop conveyor is generally a closed loop conveyor similar to a circular conveyor, in which the circular connecting edges of the conveyors on both the ends are replaced by a straight shiftable conveyor portions adapted to move back and forth and avoiding the need of moving the movers through the entire circumference of the circular track, and is therefore a fast, more powerful and cost efficient alternative to the conventionally known closed loop conveying tracks incorporating clothoids or equal radii curve or bend segments.

It is to be contemplated that an article, as used within the present invention, may be any kind of article such as including all possible food items, house-hold items, stationary items, and others, and manufactured, distributed etc. in all possible industries.

Optionally, in case of a packaging operation according toFIG.2, the step of releasing the set of already picked up articles290includes an additional step of using the guiding means300for avoiding the closure of the secondary package280during the release operation of the gripper set220. Such an action is performed by first moving the guiding unit300over the second conveying line204where a feed of top opened secondary packages280is received in such a way that at least one of the pair of guiding means330, is received within a secondary package280and adapted to conform to inner sidewalls thereof, thereby avoiding the possibility of closure thereof. Further, such guiding unit300avoids any damage to the sidewalls282of the package280and the articles290during the dropping operation. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pair of guiding means234, may have a generally L shape, adapted to support two adjacent walls of the secondary package280. However, in other embodiments, any number of pairs of guiding means330, may be used in accordance to the shape of the package280.