Patent Publication Number: US-11377244-B2

Title: Apparatus for packing products in cartons

Description:
This application is the National Phase of International Application PCT/1B2018/055850 filed Aug. 3, 2018 which designated the U.S. 
     This application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. 102017000089386 filed Aug. 4, 2017, which application is incorporated by reference herein. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to an apparatus for packing products in cartons. 
     Specifically, but not exclusively, this invention is advantageously used to pack particularly delicate products such as soap bars, for example. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In particular, reference is made to apparatuses of the type described in patent publication EP0765810 in the name of this applicant and comprising: a first feed line for feeding cartons, a second feed line for feeding products and synchronized with the first feed line, a plurality of pushing elements movable one after the other in synchrony with the feed lines, a diverting element configured to operate on the pushing elements in transit and switchable between a first position, in which it directs the pushing elements along an active path where a pushing element is driven to push a product into a respective carton, and a second position in which it directs the pushing elements along an inactive path; a sensor is provided to detect error situations regarding the carton or the product on which a certain pushing element has to operate. 
     Under normal operating conditions, the diverting element of the prior art apparatus is immovable when in the first position. 
     If the sensor detects an error situation for which it is necessary to direct a certain pushing element along the inactive path—for example, the absence of a carton on the first feed line—the diverting element is driven to move into the second position by specific drive means, consisting for example of a double acting cylinder. The pushing element thus passes through the diverting element and is directed into the inactive path. As soon as the pushing element has passed and before the next pushing element arrives, the diverting element is moved back to the first position by the same drive means. Thus, both the forward and the return movements must be completed within the time interval between the passing of two consecutive pushing elements. 
     This prior art apparatus has some limitations and disadvantages. 
     First of all, it packs a reduced number of products per unit time. This is due mainly to the fact that the speed of the forward and return movements of the diverting element must not exceed a certain value on account of the inertia of the respective drive means. Consequently, the pushing elements also pass less frequently and the operating speed of the apparatus as a whole is thus limited. 
     Secondly, the diverting element undergoes relatively rapid wear because the pushing elements interact with the diverting element by impact. This may also lead to loss of synchrony between the pusher elements and the rest of the apparatus. The diverting element thus requires periodic maintenance. 
     Moreover, the diverting action performed by the diverting element is imprecise and unreliable and the switch between the first and the second position is the critical event which may lead to malfunctioning of the entire apparatus. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     In this context, the technical purpose which forms the basis of this invention is to propose an apparatus for packing products in cartons to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages of the prior art. 
     More specifically, the aim of this invention is to provide an apparatus for packing product in cartons to improve the efficiency of the packing process. 
     A further aim of this invention is to reduce the wear rate of the pushing elements so as to increase their durability. 
     Yet another aim of this invention is to provide an apparatus for packing product in cartons capable of packing a large number of products per unit time. 
     The technical purpose and aims specified are substantially achieved by an apparatus for packing products in cartons comprising the technical features described in one or more of the appended claims. 
     In particular, this invention relates to an apparatus for packing products in cartons, comprising:
         a first feed line for feeding cartons,   a second feed line for feeding products, synchronized with the first feed line in such a way that the products can be inserted into the cartons used to pack them,   a plurality of pushing elements movable one after the other in synchrony with the feed lines,   a diverting unit adapted to operate on the pushing elements in transit and switchable between a first configuration, in which the diverting unit directs the pushing elements along an active path where a pushing element is driven to push a product into a respective carton, and a second configuration in which the diverting unit directs the pushing elements along an inactive path,   detecting means for detecting parameters identifying the presence of the carton and/or of the product on which a certain pushing element must operate, where the detecting means comprise at least one detecting sensor,   switching means connected to the detecting means and configured to switch the diverting unit to the first configuration or to the second configuration as a function of the identification parameters.       

     Each pushing element comprises a first carriage configured to run on a first rail defining an active path and a second carriage configured to run on a second rail defining an inactive path. 
     The diverting unit comprises a first diverting rail and a second diverting rail adapted, respectively, to receive the first carriage of the pushing element in the first configuration and the second carriage of the pushing element in the second configuration. The first diverting rail defines a first stretch of the first rail of the apparatus in the first configuration and the second diverting rail defines a second stretch of the second rail of the apparatus in the second configuration. 
     Thanks to the presence, for each pushing element, of a first carriage, dedicated to the active path and of a second carriage dedicated to the inactive path, it is possible to manage in a simple and effective manner the feed paths of the pushing elements, by simply switching the diverting unit to the first configuration or to the second configuration. 
     The dependent claims, which are incorporated herein by reference, correspond to different embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features of the invention and its advantages are more apparent in the non-limiting description below, with reference to a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of an apparatus for packing products in cartons illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a functional diagram of the apparatus for packing products in cartons according to this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view, with some parts hidden or cut away to better illustrate others, of an embodiment of the apparatus for packing products in cartons according to this invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of a pushing element of the apparatus of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of a diverting unit of the apparatus of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the drawings listed above, the numeral  1  denotes in its entirety an apparatus for packing products  3 , consisting, in this specific case, of soap bars, into respective cartons  2 . 
     A first feed line for feeding cartons  2  and a second feed line for feeding soap bars  3 , are labelled  20  and  30 , respectively. These feed lines are synchronized with each other in such a way that each carton  2  advances in the feed direction indicated by the arrow  25  at a preset speed and with a respective soap bar  3  advancing alongside it. 
     Also provided is an endless chain conveyor  40  having, connected to it, a plurality of supports  13 , spaced from each other at a predetermined, constant spacing.  FIGS. 1 and 2  show only some of the supports  13 . 
     The conveyor  40  moves the supports  13  one after the other synchronously with the feed lines  20  and  30  in the feed direction  25 . Slidably coupled to each support  13  there is a pushing element  4  which slides in a direction  7  normal to the feed direction  25  of the supports  13  and each pushing element  4  is provided, at one end of it, with a head  14  adapted to interact with a soap bar  3 . 
     Each pushing element  4  is configured to insert a product  3  into a respective carton  2  used to pack it. 
     At the end of the pushing element  4  opposite to the head  14 , the pushing element  4  comprises a first carriage  15   a  and a second carriage  15   b.    
     The apparatus  1  also comprises a diverting unit  5  adapted to operate on the pushing elements  4  in transit and switchable between a first configuration, in which the diverting unit  5  directs the pushing elements  4  along an active path  9  where a pushing element  4  is driven to push a product  3  into a respective carton  2 , and a second configuration in which the diverting unit  5  directs the pushing elements  4  along an inactive path  10 . 
     The first carriage  15   a  of the pushing element  4  is configured to run on a first rail  16  of the apparatus  1  defining the active path  9  of the pushing element  4 , while the second carriage  15   b  is configured to run on a second rail  17  of the apparatus defining the inactive path  10  of the pushing element  4 . 
     The apparatus  1  also comprises detecting means  6 , of known type and illustrated only schematically in the drawings, for detecting parameters identifying the presence of the carton  2  and/or of the product  3  on which a certain pushing element  4  must operate, where the detecting means  6  comprise at least one detecting sensor, not illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     The detecting means  6  are configured to preferably detect an error situation along the feed lines  20  and  30  in connection with the carton  2  or the soap bar  3  on which a particular pushing element  4  must operate; such a situation might be, for example, the absence of carton  2  or of a soap bar  3 . For the good operation of the apparatus  1 , that particular pushing element  4  must be directed along the inactive path  10  on the second rail  17 . 
     The apparatus  1  also comprises switching means  50  connected to the detecting means  6  and configured to switch the diverting unit  5  to the first configuration or to the second configuration as a function of the identification parameters. 
     The diverting unit  5  comprises a first diverting rail  5   a  and a second diverting rail  5   b  adapted, respectively, to receive the first carriage  15   a  of the pushing element  4  in the first configuration and the second carriage  15   b  of the pushing element  4  in the second configuration. 
     The first diverting rail  5   a  defines a first stretch of the first rail  16  of the apparatus  1  in the first configuration and the second diverting rail  5   b  defines a second stretch of the second rail  17  of the apparatus  1  in the second configuration. 
     The diverting unit  5  thus acts as a switching means on the feed path of the pushing elements  4 . 
     In other words, the first rail  16  and the second rail  17  are configured to receive the first carriage  15   a  and the second carriage  15   b , respectively, and to guide the respective pushing element  4  along an active path  9  or an inactive path  10 , respectively. 
     More specifically, if the pushing element  4  must move into the active path  9 , when the pushing element  4  reaches the diverting unit  5 , the first carriage  15   a  of the pushing element  4  slides in the first diverting rail  5   a  in the first configuration. 
     The first rail  16  thus makes the pushing element  4  slide relative to the respective support  13  in such a way that the head  14  interacts with a soap bar  3  in transit on the second feed line  30  to push the soap bar  3  into a respective carton  2  in transit on the first feed line  20 . 
     When it is slidable in the first rail  16 , therefore, the first carriage  15   a  allows moving the pushing element  4  along the normal feed direction  7  in such a way as to progressively insert a respective product  3  into a respective carton  2  while the pushing element  4  advances along the feed direction  25 . 
     On the other hand, if the pushing element  4  must move into the inactive path  10 , when the pushing element  4  reaches the diverting unit  5 , the second carriage  15   b  of the pushing element  4  slides in the second diverting rail  5   b  in the second configuration. 
     The second rail  17  makes the pushing element  4  slide relative to the respective support  13  in such a way that the head  14  is not moved along the normal feed direction  7  and thus does not interact with the second feed line  30 . 
     The switching means  50  thus allow choosing whether the pushing element  4  must engage the first diverting rail  5   a  by means of the first carriage  15   a  or the second rail  5   b  by means of the second carriage  15   b.    
     That way, the pushing element  4 , by moving through the first diverting rail  5   a  or the second diverting rail  5   b  follows, respectively, the active path  9 , along the first rail  16 , or the inactive path  10 , along the second rail  17 , as a function of the parameters detected by the detecting means  6 . 
     The switching means  50  according to this invention are configured to move the first diverting rail  5   a  into a first, rest configuration, where the first carriage  15   a  of each pushing element  4  cannot slide into the first diverting rail  5   a , when the second diverting rail  5   b  is moved into the second configuration, and to move the second diverting rail  5   b  into a second, rest configuration, where the second carriage  15   b  of each pushing element  4  cannot slide into the second diverting rail  5   b , when the first diverting rail  5   a  is moved into the first configuration. 
     In other terms, only one between the first diverting rail  5   a  and the second diverting rail  5   b  is engaged by each pushing element  4 , thereby determining its feed path (active  9  or inactive  10 ). 
     The presence of two diverting rails  5   a ,  5   b , suitably switchable between the first and second configurations by the switching means  50 , allows advancing the pushing elements  4  quickly and smoothly by simply selecting which of the two must come into operation while the other is in the rest configuration so as not to interfere with the advancing of the respective carriage  15   a ,  15   b.    
     The first rail  16   b  is shaped in such a way as to cause the pushing element  4  to retract in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow  7  after pushing the soap bar  3  into the respective carton  2 . 
     Let us now suppose the detecting means  6  detect an error situation caused, for example, by the absence of a carton  2  on the first feed line  20 . 
     This is a situation where the pushing element  4  which was to have pushed a soap bar  3  into the missing carton  2  must be directed into the inactive path  10 , that is, onto the second rail  17 . 
     In use, the detecting means  6  send a signal to the switching means  50 , which immediately set the diverting unit  5  to the second configuration. That way, upon the transit of the pushing element  4  corresponding to the product  3  which must not be pushed, for example because the respective carton  2  is missing, the second carriage  15   b  of the pushing element  4  engages the second diverting rail  5   b  of the diverting unit  5 , so that on leaving the diverting unit  5 , the pushing element  4  proceeds on the inactive path  10  along the second rail  17 . 
     Concurrently with the step just described, the first diverting rail  5   a  is in a rest configuration and is not therefore engaged by the first carriage  15   a  of the pushing element  4 . 
     Preferably, the diverting unit  5  remains fixed in the second configuration as long as the detecting means  6  detect errors also in connection with the pushing elements  4  which follow. When the detecting means  6  no longer detect errors regarding the products  3  or the cartons  2 , the detecting means  6  send a signal to the switching means  50  to indicate that the errors have ended and the switching means  50  can thus switch the diverting unit  5  to the first configuration so that the pushing elements  4  can proceed along the active path  9  to pack the products  3  in the cartons  2 . 
     According to this invention, the switching means  50  are configured to switch the diverting unit  5  between the first and the second configuration in synchrony with the transit of the pushing elements  4 . 
     Preferably, the first diverting rail  5   a  and the second diverting rail  5   b  are reciprocatingly movable towards and away from the first rail  16  and the second rail  17  of the apparatus  1  in a normal direction, preferably vertical, as indicated by the arrows  8 . 
     The movement in the normal direction allows compensating for any errors, even macroscopic errors, in timing and/or positioning the pushing elements  4  with the diverting unit  5 . 
     The movement in the normal direction also allows considerably reducing the time needed to position the first diverting rail  5   a  and the second diverting rail  5   b , making it possible to increase the speed of the machine without creating problems of wear and impact of the moving mechanical parts. 
     Even if switching occurs at the wrong time, when the pushing element  4  is passing through the first diverting rail  5   a  or the second diverting rail  5   b , there would not in any case be any impact in the direction of motion of the pushing element  4 , an impact which would otherwise upset the operation of the apparatus  1 . 
     Preferably, the first carriage  15   a  and the second carriage  15   b  are disposed on an underside  4  of the pushing element  4  and are defined by a first roller  15   a  and a second roller  15   b , respectively, each roller  15   a  and  15   b  having an increased compliance sliding portion  15 ′ located at a distal position relative to the underside  4   a  of the pushing element  4  and adapted to slide in the first rail  16  and in the second rail  17 , respectively. The increased compliance sliding portion  15 ′ allows damping the impact of the first and the second diverting rail  5   a ,  5   b  against the respective roller  15   a ,  15   b , in particular in the presence of errors of synchronization between the transit of the rollers  15  and the reciprocating motion of the diverting unit  5 . 
     Preferably, the switching means  50  comprise a rocker  51  which rotates alternately about an axis of rotation  52 . The first diverting rail  5   a  is associated with a first end  51   a  of the rocker  51  and the second diverting rail  5   b  is associated with a second free end  51   b  of the rocker  51 . 
     In use, rotation of the rocker  51  causes the diverting unit  5  to switch between the first configuration and the second configuration, alternately translating the first diverting rail  5   a  and the second diverting rail  5   b  along the normal direction  8 . 
     More specifically, in the embodiment of the diverting unit  5  illustrated in  FIG. 4 , when the first diverting rail  5   a  is translated vertically upwards, towards the first configuration, the second diverting rail  5   b  is simultaneously translated vertically downwards, towards the second, rest configuration. 
     Preferably, the switching means comprise a first slide  53   a  and a second slide  53   b  interposed, respectively, between the rocker  51  and the first diverting rail  5   a  and between the rocker  51  and the second diverting rail  5   b.    
     The first slide  53   a  and the second slide  53   b  are slidably movable in a first guide  54   a  and in a second guide  54   b , respectively. 
     This invention achieves the preset aims, overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art, by providing the user with an apparatus for packing products  3  in cartons  2  which is both effective and efficient and capable of increasing production rates and reducing maintenance.