A METHOD AND A DEVICE FOR POSITIONING CYLINDRICAL ITEMS

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for positioning cylindrical objects, e.g., bottles, tins or beer cans, before they are assembled to a multipack in order to turn away markings, e.g., in the form of EAN-codes, of the separate cylinder objects so that only one marking on the multipack is visible from the outside. According to the method, at least two cylinder objects forming a multipack, before the determination of position, are placed on a surface (10) having low friction, and after that, at least one stop (2) is placed towards the surface of each cylinder object, simultaneously as on the other side or at the bottom of the cylinder objects at least one rotation wheel (8, 8', 8") with high friction is placed in order to rotate the cylinder objects (1, 1', 1") depending on where each separate cylinder object has its marking (4, 4', 4") along its circumference of rotation in relation to one sensor (3, 3', 3") for each cylinder object provided on the stop (2) such a long distance that each cylinder object with its marking takes its predetermined position.

Description: A method and a device for positioning cylindrical items In today's distribution of e.g. beverages and food in cylindrical cans or bottles, in the text below referred to as cylinders, selling of ultipacked products occurs. It happens, during these circumstances, that the multipack does not cover the EAN-code that each separate c .inder has in the multipack. This code is used when one separate products is to be sold. At the same time, the multipack has a code, which is intended for the number of items in the multipack, e.g. six beer-cans. Randomly, it occurs that the multipack simultaneously shows two different codes, which both are readable. When handling the multipack at the cash register there is a risk that the multipack is regis¬ tered as if one single item only has been sold. This problem has forced forth that e.g. a 12-pack of beer-cans must now be sold in a completely enclosed carton package, which must be seen as a certain waste of resources plus that the consumer is left with the waste. In order to minimize the quantity of packaging material required, several solutions have been presented to the market. All these solutions have the drawback that the codes on each specific item in the multipack are left fully visable and readable and the risk for errors when handling these multipacks at the cash register is greater than with the solutions presently used. An example of a multipack with a small quantity of packag¬ ing material is described in EP-A-0 496 807, in this text only referred to as a reference. In order to decrease the amount of packaging material in a good way at the same time eliminating the above problem, each specific can or bottle must be put in such an internal order that the markings, such as the EAN-codes, on the product packages of the cans or bottles are placed between each specific product pack- age in such a way that these codes cannot be read from the outside but only the code on the multipack proper. It is also suitable that the product package is fixed in this position. This can be done with a small amount of adhesive between the product package and the carry- ing element or that the multipack or product package is so designed that rotation of the cans after the assem¬ bling of the carrying element over the product packages is made impossible. Alternatively, the cylinders can be turned so that the codes can be read one after the other. The above problem is solved by the invention in that before one or more rows of product packages are provid¬ ed with a carrying element, the cylindrical objects are rotated and stopped in a predetermined position. The cylindrical objects, which are provided with a mark or a marking readable by a choosen sensor, are placed upon a surface having low friction against the bottom of each cylinder, respectively. Somewhere on the jacket or the vertical side of each cylinder at least one stop or blocking beam is mounted. On the opposite side of the cylinder in relation to the stop there is placed either at least one rotating wheel or at least another stop. If a rotating wheel is used, this is placed on such a height relatively the stop that rotation of the cylinder can occur, when the distance between the contact-point, or contact-points, of the stop against the cylinder and the contact-point of the rotating wheel against the cylinder is less, or at the most, equal to the double radius of the cylinders, measured horizontally through the centre of the cylinder. The surface of the stop, which is in contact with the cylinder, has low friction, or at the highest, the same friction as the surface of the cylinder, while the rotation wheel has a high friction against the surface of the cylinder. The distance between the front edge of the stop and the front edge of the rotation wheel is, when placing the cylinders, greater than the diameter of the cylinder. The stop and/or the rotation wheel is then before the actual rotation moved so that the distance becomes less than, or at the most, equal to the diameter of the cylinder, i.e. the front edge of the rotation wheel is pressed against the cylinders. In such a case, when two stops are used, see above, the rotation wheel must be mounted either in connection with one of the stops or under the bottom of the cylin¬ der. If two rows of cylinders are standing next to each other, one of the cylinder rows can function as a stop for the other cylinder row. The guidance of the rotation functions in such a way that a sensor, e.g. a photocell, reads a marking on a cylinder. This sensor controls the rotation stop of this cylinder in such a way that it stops the cylinder at the desired position. For each cylinder in a row, where carrying elements are to be mounted, there are a sensor and a rotation wheel. A computer controls each separate pair of sensor/rotation wheel to the desired position. Each cylinder can be programmed to get its own position. A suitable position for the sensor/cylin¬ der marking is close to a stop. The number of cylinders that can be rotated at the same time in a row is suit- ably a multiple of different, actual packaging sizes. To produce a high capacity in a machinery several rows can be rotated/mounted at the same time, alternatively this is done in a single, elongate row. The choice of material for the stop and the rotation wheel, respectively, is determined by the demand for as much difference in friction as possible between the stop/cylinder and the rotation wheel/cylinder. Also the size of the contact surface between the stop/cylinder and the rotation wheel/cylinder is adjusted to get the best possible difference in friction. If good condi¬ tions in this matter are achieved, the rotation wheel will be able to rotate the cylinder and stop it with a good precision. It is necessary to be able to vary the difference in friction, along with the difference in material, weight, height, etc., with different kinds of cylinders. It is also necessary to be able to vary the placing of both the stop and the rotation wheel from what each separate product demands. For the reasons above, the machine that will be used for these opera- tions is constucted in such a way that the stop and/or the rotation wheel can be moved towards each other, when the cylinders are in position for rotation. Further, the stop must be exchangeable in order to fit different diameters on different cylinders and the rotation wheel must be exchangeable in order to give different friction, diameter and size of the contact surface of the wheel against the cylinder. There can also be other reasons for the change of stop and rota¬ tion wheel. Both the stop and the rotation wheel can be adjusted sidewise, lengthwise and vertically. It can occur that the cylinders are moved lengthwise and/or sidewise before or after the rotation takes place. The invention will be described in more detail below by means of a preferred embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a sciiematic side view of a device for performing the rotation of the cylindrical objects according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a view from above of the device illu¬ strated in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows the same view as Fig. 1 but the cylin¬ ders have been moved sidewise for rotation and Fig. 4 shows a view from above of the device, where the cylinders are in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, in which they rotate to the desir¬ ed, mutual position, before the cylinders are fixed in their ready-rotated position by a carrying element. As shown in the drawings a device for rotation of three cylinder objects 1, 1' and I'' is shown, according to a preferred embodiment. The drawings also show, with thicker lines, partly integral details, partly the position of the cylinder objects before and during the rotation thereof. According to the preferred embodiment the cylinder objects 1, 1*, 1' • are displaced 90° to the side relative to the movement direction that they had before the rotation, when they were transported forwards on a conveyor belt 11 in the direction marked with an arrow 6. When alternative embodiments are used, a suitable rotation wheel, which is in contact with the bottom surf . of the cylinder ob ; cts, can naturally be used or . cylinder objects 1 ' , 1' ' do not have to be displ ad sidewise before or ^ n connection with their rotation. In Figs. 1 and 2 the cylinder objects 1, 1', 1'' are shown in a position, before whic^ a movable stop 2 places them in the position for rotation, which is closer illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. Figs. 1 and 2 also show examples of placing sensors 3, 3', 3'', which read the markings 4, 4', 4'', which have been placed on the surface area of the cylinder objects 1, 1', I''. Further, a safety and removal beam 5 is shown. This device makes sure that the cylinder objects do not fall over, when being displaced from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Thereafter the beam 5 takes the cylinder objects back to the starting position on the conveyer belt 11 after rotation of the cylinder objects and mounting of the carrying element having been done. Hereby the cylinder objects are moved back from the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It is, of course, also possible to mount the carrying element over the cylinder objects both before and after the sidewise displacement has occured. It is also possible that the movement of the rotation zone is attained as a continuation of the movement that brought the cylinders into the zone and this provided that the cylinders cannot be moved from their taken position after the rotation. The direction of the cylinder objects has in Figs. 1 and 2 been marked with the arrow 6 and the movement of the stop 2 with an arrow 7. In Figs. 3 and 4 the cylin¬ der objects 1, 1', I' 1 are shown in their position before the rotation. This means that the stop 2 is in its front position. The sensors 3, 3', 3'- are activat- ed by the markings 4, 4' and 4'* and the movement beam 5 is waiting in its back position. Rotation wheels 8, 8' and 8' • rotate and transfer their rotation to the cylinder objects 1, 1' and I' '.The sensors 3, 3' and 3'' are in different phases. The sensor 3 just reads the marking 4 on the cylinder object 1, the sensor 3' has stopped the rotation of the cylinder object 1' in its intended position and the sensor 3' ' has not yet read the marking 4'' on the cylinder object 1''. The direction of rotation of the cylinder objects 1, 1' and 1'' is shown with an arrow 9. To get the cylinder objects to rotate more easily they are placed upon a surface 10 having low friction. A second embodiment of the invention, which is not shown on the drawing, is to move the cylinders perpen¬ dicularly towards the lengthwise direction of the row with .g. a gripping means at the top to a surface provided with a stop. This surface with the stop is moved to the position of rotation and thereafter, without changing the relative position of the cylin¬ ders, to a mounting position of the carrying elements in direct connection. This embodiment of the invention differs from the earlier one in that a displacement is attained between rotation and mounting of the multi¬ pack.

Claims: Claims 1. A method for positioning cylindrical objects, e.g. bottles, tins or beer-cans, before they are assembled to a multipack in order to turn away markings, e.g. in the form of EAN-codeε, of the separate cylindrical objects so that only one marking on the multipack is visable from the outside, characterized in that at least two cylinder objects (l, l', 1* ') forming a multipack, before the determination of position, are placed on a surface (10) having low friction and after that at least one stop (2) is placed towards the sur¬ face of each cylinder object, simultaneously as on the other side or at the bottom of the cylinder objects at least one rotation wheel (8, 8', 8'') with high fric¬ tion is placed in order to rotate the cylinder objects (1, 1', 1' ') depending on where each separate cylinder object has its marking (4, 4', 4 1 ') along its circum¬ ference of rotation in relation to one sensor (3, 3', 3'') for each cylinder object provided on the stop (2) such a long distance that each cylinder object with its marking takes its predetermined position. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cylinder objects (1, 1', 1'') in connection with their position determination are stopped during their transport along a conveyor belt (11) , are dis¬ placed sidewise by means of the stop (2) a short dis¬ tance up on a surface (10) with low friction, whereupon the rotation wheels (8, 8*, 8'') rotate the cylinder objects (1, 1', 1'') to desired positions, when these are pressed against the stop (2) , said positions being dependent on the position of the markings (4, 4', 4'') relative to the sensors (3, 3', 3 1 '). 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that on the same side where the rotation wheels are places there is, across the conveyor belt (11) and the surface (10) with low friction, a safety and movement beam (5) , which during the rotation of the cylinder objects (1, 1', I 1 ') prevents that they fall over and which beam (5) after the rotation pushes the ready- rotated cylinder objects back from the surface (10) having low friction and up on the conveyor belt (11) , at which position the carrying element is mounted. 4. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the stop (2) and the rotation wheels (8, 8', 8'') are adjustable relative to each other, a distance between the front edge of the stop (2) and the rotation wheel (8, 8', 8 1 ') during the placing of the cylinder objects (1, 1', 1• ') being increased to a distance greater than the cylinder diameter and which distance before the rotation of the cylinder objects (1, 1', 1'*) being decreased so that it becomes less than or, at the most, the same as the diameter of the cylinder objects by displacement of the stop (2) and the rotation wheels (8, 8', 8'') in a direction towards each other during the rotation pro¬ per. 5. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a carrying element is fixed in position against the cylinder objects (l, l', 1' •) as soon as they have taken their ready-rotated position before they are transported further on the conveyor belt (11). 6. A device for performing the method according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes, on each side of a conveyor belt (11) , along which cylindrical objects that are going to form multipacks are being fed, at least one stop (2) and at least one rotation wheel (8, 8', 8'') arranged opposite thereto or under the cylinder objects, which are provided to rotate the cylindrical objects (1, 1', 1' ') to a desired position, which is dependent on the position of markings (4, 4', 4' 1 ) on each cylinder object in relation to sensors (3, 3, 3'*) arranged in the stop (2). 7. A device according to claim 6, characterized in that the stop (2) is movable across the conveyor belt (11) in order to displace the cylinder objects (1, 1', 1* ' ) to the surface (10) having low friction situated along the conveyor belt (11) and that the rotation wheels (8, 8', 8' ') are adjustable in relation to the lateral displacement of the stop (2) in order to reach a position in relation to the cylinder objects (1, 1', 1''), in which they are rotatable between the rotation wheels (8, 8', 8*') and the stop (2). 8. A device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that an adjustable safety and movement beam (5) is located in connection with the rotation wheels (8, 8', 8''), said beam being arranged, after the rotation of the cylinder objects (1, l 1 , 1' ') on the surface (10), to move the cylinder objects back up on the conveyor belt (11) together with the stop (2) .

Inventors: EDQVIST HAAKAN, EDQVIST, HAAKAN
Applicants: EDQVIST HAAKAN, EDQVIST, HAAKAN
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65B35
IPC codes: B65B35, B65G47