Method and device for aligning flat products

Abstract: A method and device for aligning flat products (2) whereby the products (2), substantially aligned in transverse rows (7) on a first conveyor (3), are fed on the first conveyor (3) through a pickup station (18) where the products (2) in at least a portion of each row (7) are picked up by a suction head (29) traveling, parallel to itself at all times, along a circular path (28) extending partially over the first conveyor (3); the aspirated products (2) being transferred by the suction head (29) along a portion of its path (28) extending over an arc of 90° and between the pickup station (18) and an unloading station (20) where the aspirated products (2) are unloaded on to a second conveyor (10) perpendicular to the first conveyor (3).

Description: The present invention relates to a method of aligning flat products. The present invention is especially suitable for use in the food industry, particularly for manufacturing flat products, such as biscuits or similar oven-baked products, to which the following description refers purely by way of example. Biscuits and the like are normally baked in tunnel type ovens through which they are fed on a conveyor, normally in neat side by side columns parallel to the traveling direction of the conveyor and defining neat rows perpendicular to the traveling direction. The speed of the conveyor is so regulated as to bake the biscuits in the time taken for each row to travel between the input and output end of the oven. On ovens of the aforementioned type, the same conveyor normally also provides for feeding the baked biscuits to an aligning device constituting the input device of a user unit, normally a wrapping line, and designed to arrange into a single column the products originally arranged, as stated, in a number of columns parallel to the traveling direction of the conveyor. A first type of known aligning devices normally comprise an accelerating device for spacing the biscuits in the original columns and feeding them to a concentrating device by which the original columns are formed into a single intersecting column for supply to the user unit. The above method presents several drawbacks, mainly due to the single column supplied to the user unit being formed, as stated, by rearranging the existing columns into a single intersecting column, thus resulting in friction, impact and, possible also, pile-up of the biscuits. The above method therefore results in frequent crumbling and/or breakage of the biscuits requiring frequent stoppages for cleaning the concentrating device and the line. In a second type of known aligning devices, such as that disclosed in NL-A-302 179, an aligning method is applied according to which the products are arranged on a first conveyor to form thereon a number of neat columns parallel to the traveling direction of the first conveyor, the products being further arranged side by side so as to define a succession of product rows perpendicular to the above traveling direction. According to the above method, the products are fed by the first conveyor in a step-by-step manner and along a first path to a pick-up station where the products are engaged by at least one suction head, which is moved along a second circular path extending partially over the first path, the suction head moving in a step-by-step manner along the second path and being so oriented as to overlap at least a portion of at least one row at the pickup station. The suction head is activated at the pickup station, so as to suck the products in the aforementioned portion of the above row and then moved to transfer the aspirated products along a portion of the second path extending between the pickup station and an unloading station, at which the aspirated products are released on to a second conveyor extending along a third path parallel to the position assumed by the suction head at the unloading station. The above method presents several drawbacks mainly due to the fact that it is unsuitable for use with modern ovens where the products are advanced in a substantially continuous manner, and the transverse rows are not perfect rows which result in a succession of not perfectly aligned products on the second conveyor. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of aligning flat products, such as biscuits or similar, designed to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks. According to the present invention, there is provided a method of aligning flat products, said method comprising stages of arranging the products, on a first conveyor, in a number of neat columns parallel to a first traveling direction of the first conveyor and arranged side by side so as to define a succession of product rows perpendicular to the first traveling direction; feeding the columns axially along a first given path; feeding at least one suction head along a second circular path extending partially over the first path, the suction head moving along the second path and being so oriented as to overlap at least a portion of at least one said row at a pickup station along the first path; activating the suction head at said pickup station, so as to suck the products in said portion of said row on to said suction head; transferring the aspirated products, by means of the suction head, along a portion of the second path extending between the pickup station and an unloading station; releasing the aspirated products at said unloading station on to a second conveyor extending along a third path parallel to the position assumed by the suction head at the unloading station; and feeding the products along said third path; characterized in that the products are fed along the first and the third path in a continuous manner and the suction head is fed along the second path in a continuous manner at respective substantially constant speeds; the speed at which the suction head is fed along the second path being substantially equal to the speed of the second conveyor and greater than the speed of the first conveyor. A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.1 shows a schematic view in perspective of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention; Fig.2 shows a partial plan view of the Fig.1 device; Fig.3 shows a variation of Fig.2; Fig.4 shows a view in perspective of a detail in Fig.3. Number 1 in Fig.1 indicates a device for aligning flat products, in this case biscuits 2, and cooperating with the output conveyor 3 of an oven 4 (Fig.s 2 and 3) for baking biscuits 2. Conveyor 3 is a belt conveyor extending through the output end of oven 4 and supporting biscuits 2 arranged neatly in a number of columns 5 parallel to traveling direction 6 and equally spaced across the width of conveyor 3. As shown in Fig.2, each biscuit 2 in each column 5 is aligned with a respective biscuit 2 in the adjacent columns, so as to form a row 7 extending across conveyor 3 and perpendicular to traveling direction 6. According to the variation shown in Fig.3, biscuits 2 are arranged in successive pairs of transverse rows 8 and 9 in which biscuits 2 in each row 8 are offset in relation to those in respective row 9. Device 1 comprises a conveyor 10 constituting the input conveyor of a packing line 11 and extending perpendicular to conveyor 3. Conveyor 10 comprises a belt 12 looped about two pulleys 13 (only one of which is shown, and at least one of which is powered) and comprising a transportation branch 14 traveling in direction 15 perpendicular to direction 6 and extending over conveyor 3 in a substantially horizontal plane parallel to the plane of conveyor 3. Device 1 also comprises at least one pickup device 16 for successively picking up groups 17 of biscuits 2 at a pickup station 18 located along path 19 along which biscuits 2 are fed by conveyor 3, and for transferring groups 17 on to conveyor 10 at an unloading station 20 located along path 21 along which biscuits 2 are fed by conveyor 10. As shown in Fig.2, each group 17 comprises a number of biscuits 2, four in the example shown, aligned along a portion of the same row 7. In the Fig.3 variation, each group 17 comprises a number of biscuits 2, four in the example shown, aligned partly along a portion of row 8 and partly along a corresponding portion of respective row 9. Device 16 comprises a base 22 from which extends an upright 23 supporting a powered carrousel conveyor 24 rotating clockwise (in Fig.s 2 and 3) in direction 25 about the axis of upright 23. Conveyor 24 is a known carrousel conveyor having a number of vertical output rods 26, each connected to conveyor 24 so as to move axially, as determined by a known cam device (not shown) housed inside conveyor 24, and to rotate about its axis 27 (Fig.4) in the opposite direction to and at the same speed as conveyor 24. Thus, as conveyor 24 is rotated, rods 26 travel, parallel to themselves at all times, along a circular path 28 extending about upright 23 and partially over conveyor 3 at pickup station 18 and conveyor 10 at unloading station 20. The bottom end of each rod 26 is fitted integral with a suction head 29 traveling with rod 26 along path 28 at a faster speed than conveyor 3 and perpendicular at all times to columns 5. Conveyors 24 and 3 are so timed that, as it travels along path 28, each suction head 29, at pickup station 18, overlaps a portion of a respective row 7 (Fig.2), or sweeps over respective portions of adjacent rows 8 and 9 (Fig.3). As shown in Fig.4, each suction head 29 comprises a plate 30 which, at pickup station 18, extends transversely over a given number of columns 5 (four, in the example shown), and presents a number of through suction holes 31 communicating via respective conduits 32 with a suction circuit 33. In the case of biscuits 2 arranged on conveyor 3 as shown in Fig. 3, alternate holes 31 on head 29 are parallel connected to a separate manifold 34, and each manifold 34 presents a respective valve 35 controlled, via a known delay device 36, by a respective sensor 37 for detecting rows 8 and 9 on conveyor 3 and synchronizing conveyors 24 and 3 as described above. Conversely, in the case of biscuits 2 arranged on conveyor 3 as shown in Fig. 2, holes 31 on head 29 are all connected (not shown) to the same manifold 34, which presents a valve 35 controlled, via a known delay device 36, by a sensor 37 for detecting rows 7 on conveyor 3 and synchronizing conveyors 24 and 3 as described above. In both the Fig.2 and 3 arrangements, each valve 35 is so controlled by sensor 37 as to provide for suction through holes 31 as head 29 travels through pickup station 18, and to disable suction through holes 31 as head 29 travels through unloading station 20, i.e. upon head 29 traveling over a substantially 90° arc of path 28. Operation of device 1 will now be described with reference to the embodiment shown in Fig.s 3 and 4. With reference to Fig.3, as a pair of adjacent rows 8 and 9 of biscuits 2 travels past respective sensors 37 spaced along path 19 in the same way as rows 8 and 9, sensors 37 emit respective signals for so regulating conveyor 24 that rows 8 and 9 travel through pickup station 18 simultaneously with a suction head 29 traveling at a faster speed V1 than the speed V2 of conveyor 3. Delay device 36 controls the signals emitted by sensors 37 in known manner so as to open valves 35 as suction head 29 travels through pickup station 18, and so enable head 29 to form a group 17 of biscuits 2 by sucking up first biscuits 2 in row 9 followed by those in row 8 located upstream from row 9 in the traveling direction 6 of conveyor 3. The aspirated group 17 is fed parallel to itself along path 28 to unloading station 20, where valves 35 are closed in known manner by delay device 36 so as to release group 17 on to conveyor 10 in such a position as to form, with the foregoing groups 17 on conveyor 10, a single column 38 parallel to rows 8 and 9 and which is fed on conveyor 10 in direction 15 at a speed V3 substantially equal to speed V1. A group of columns 5 is thus formed, with no contact between biscuits 2, into a single column 38 for supply to wrapping line 11, while the remaining columns 5 proceed on conveyor 3 past device 1, and are formed into a single column by one or more devices 1 (not shown) downstream from pickup station 18 along path 19. Operation of device 1 in Fig.s 1 and 2 is readily discernible from the above description and therefore requires no further explanation.

Claims: A method of aligning flat products (2), said method comprising stages of arranging the products (2), on a first conveyor (3), in a number of neat columns (5) parallel to a first traveling direction (6) of the first conveyor (3) and arranged side by side so as to define a succession of product rows (7, 8, 9) perpendicular to the first traveling direction (6); feeding the columns (5) axially along a first given path (19); feeding at least one suction head (29) along a second circular path (28) extending partially over the first path (19), the suction head (29) moving along the second path (28) and being so oriented as to overlap at least a portion of at least one said row (7, 8, 9) at a pickup station (18) along the first path (19); activating the suction head (29) at said pickup station (18), so as to suck the products (2) in said portion of said row (7, 8, 9) on to said suction head (29); transferring the aspirated products (2), by means of the suction head (29), along a portion of the second path (28) extending between the pickup station (18) and an unloading station (20); releasing the aspirated products (2) at said unloading station (20) on to a second conveyor (10) extending along a third path (21) parallel to the position assumed by the suction head (29) at the unloading station (20); and feeding the products (2) along said third path (21); characterized in that the products (2) are fed along the first (19) and the third path (21) in a continuous manner and the suction head (29) is fed along the second path (28) in a continuous manner at respective substantially constant speeds; the speed at which the suction head (29) is fed along the second path (28) being substantially equal to the speed of the second conveyor (10) and greater than the speed of the first conveyor (3). A Method as claimed in Claim 1, characterized by the fact that, in each pair of adjacent rows (8, 9), the products (2) in one row (8, 9) are arranged offset in relation to those in the other row (9, 8); the suction head (29) being designed to overlap at least a portion of at least two said adjacent rows (8, 9) at said pickup station (18).

Inventors: SPATAFORA MARIO, STRAZZARI GIULIO, SPATAFORA, MARIO, STRAZZARI, GIULIO
Applicants: AZIONARIA COSTRUZIONI ACMA SPA, AZIONARIA COSTRUZIONI MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE-A.C.M.A.-S.P.A.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65G47
IPC codes: B65G47