Patent Description:
It also forms a method for handling these containers. The object of the present invention finds particular use in the industrial sector of automation in general and, in particular, it is dedicated to the handling of containers equipped with a mouthpiece and a symmetry plane passing through this mouthpiece between stations and/or linear and/or rotary feed devices provided in industrial machines, such as fillers, cappers, labellers and the like.

As is known, the handling of containers, even of different shapes that can have capacities up to a maximum of thirty litres, usually takes place at stations and/or linear and/or rotary feed devices of respective industrial machines by means of at least one feed conveyor on which these containers are arranged in single line and one against the other.

When the containers arrive at the destination station or device of the respective industrial machine, they are individually selected by it to be inserted into respective star wheels and/or advancement guides. The selected containers are then fed along the machine according to a predetermined path so that they are subjected to all the provided work phases, such as, for example, filling, capping, labelling or other, up to the last star wheel that transfers the relative containers to one or more outlet conveyors.

The traditional methods currently used to handle containers at the stations and/or linear or rotary devices of an industrial machine are generally of two types.

A first type of the traditional method provides that a path dedicated thereto is prepared for each different container sample. In particular, for each different container sample, at least one dedicated feeding auger having a sorting function, respective dedicated star wheels for the transfers between one carousel and the other of the respective machine and respective guides for containing the containers associated with the star wheels are provided.

Therefore, for each different type of container to be fed, it is necessary to build a set of dedicated components, called with the generic term "equipment", which must be assembled and disassembled when changing the size.

This involves several problems, such as:.

A second type of the traditional method provides that a path dedicated thereto is prepared for each different container sample. In particular, for each different type of container to be fed, a pattern, called "puck", being generally rectangular or oval in shape and of adequate height, which has a slot corresponding to the external profile of the container to be supported, is provided. The external dimensions of the pattern are always the same while the internal slot is partially counter-shaped to the container to be supported.

Each pattern occupied by the respective container is transferred to the station and/or device of the relative industrial machine by means of at least one feed conveyor. The patterns with the containers advance on the feed conveyor in a single line and one against the other.

Also in this case, at least one feed auger having a sorting function is provided at the inlet so as to properly feed the relative star wheels which are arranged between a carousel and the other one of the respective industrial machine.

According to the external shape of the patterns, all the components, called "equipment", designed to define the advancement path of the containers along the various processing stations of the relative industrial machine are prepared.

In particular, on the basis of the external shape of the patterns, the most appropriate conformation of the auger, of the star wheels and of the guides for containing the patterns on the star wheels is determined. All these components are fixed on the relevant industrial machine.

With respect to the first type of the traditional method, the second type has the advantage of not having to remove and replace the equipment fixed on the relative industrial machine when changing the size of the containers.

However, even in this case, the size change has some drawbacks, such as:.

In order to solve the drawbacks of the aforementioned known solutions, the Applicant has created a container feeding device which does not need either the above described equipment or the above described container housing patterns.

This container feeding device is described and illustrated in detail in the <CIT> of the same Applicant.

In particular, the container feeding device comprises a plurality of support bases for resting a respective container.

The support bases can be associated with suitable means of transport or conveyors in such a way as to advance along the predetermined path of the respective industrial machine through all the workstations provided.

Each support base includes a self-centering gripper clamping assembly that can be switched between a clamping position, in which it is closed on the container which remains locked on the respective support base, and a loading and unloading position, in which the gripper clamping assembly is open to allow the positioning of a new container to be fed or the disengagement of a container to be removed.

On each support base a reference point is defined and is intended for centering the mouthpiece of the relative container to be fed.

Each container is positioned on the respective support base with its own mouthpiece placed on its reference point.

In this way each container engages the relative support base in the same way in which the other containers engage the other respective support bases.

When the gripper clamping assembly of each support base is in the clamping position by closing the respective container, the support base and the corresponding container are integral so that they advance together along the predetermined path on the respective industrial machine.

While the support base always has the same pattern, the relative gripper clamping assembly adapts to the different sizes of the containers to be fed without requiring machine downtimes, dedicated sets of equipment or patterns and large warehouses for storing them.

Although the feeding device of the Applicant's containers is extremely innovative with respect to the solutions of the prior art allowing the resolution of evident problems found in them, the Applicant had the intuition of being able to further improve this device in relation to the positioning of the containers on the respective support bases.

In particular, the Applicant has realized that he can refine the positioning of the mouthpiece of each container with respect to the reference point identified on each support base and improve the handling of the containers to be fed in terms of synchronisation.

A further handling system of containers according to the preamble of independent claim <NUM> and a method for handling containers according to the preamble of independent claim <NUM> is shown in <CIT>.

The object of the present invention is to propose a handling system of containers equipped with a mouthpiece and a symmetry plane passing through the mouthpiece as well as a method for handling these containers capable of achieving the intended objects by improving the prior art.

The aforementioned object and others, are substantially achieved by a handling system of containers equipped with a mouthpiece and a symmetry plane passing through the mouthpiece and a method for handling these containers, as described and claimed hereinafter.

Such description will be made herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings, provided for indicative only and therefore not limiting purpose, in which:.

With reference to <FIG>, the number <NUM> indicates overall a handling system of containers <NUM> equipped with a mouthpiece <NUM> and a symmetry plane Y (<FIG>) passing through the mouthpiece <NUM>, in accordance with the present invention.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the handling system <NUM> comprises at least one feed conveyor <NUM> suitable for advancing a plurality of containers <NUM> along a main feeding direction X, generally in single line and in contact with each other or according to very close positions.

The feed conveyor <NUM> is advantageously provided at the outlet with at least one channelling device <NUM> at which the containers <NUM> are spaced from each other according to a predetermined rate.

In accordance with the embodiment illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the channelling device <NUM> of the containers <NUM> is suitable for advancing the containers <NUM> along the main feeding direction X according to a predetermined and adjustable advancement velocity V1 which is higher than the advancement velocity V0 of the feed conveyor <NUM> whereby the containers <NUM> to be fed are spaced from each other at least during their passage from the feed conveyor <NUM> to the respective feed channelling device <NUM>. Still with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the channelling device <NUM> comprises a pair of movable side belts 5a which drag and feed the containers <NUM> at the velocity V1. When the containers <NUM>, which advance one against the other on the feed conveyor <NUM>, arrive at the pair of belts 5a of the channelling device <NUM>, are accelerated by the same so as to be separated from the other containers <NUM> according to a predetermined distance and consequently facilitate the subsequent synchronization operations of the devices and handling mechanisms arranged downstream the feed conveyor <NUM>.

In accordance with the embodiment illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the channelling device <NUM> of the containers <NUM> can comprise two or more advancement portions <NUM>, preferably three, each one arranged to feed the containers <NUM> to be fed according to different advancement velocities V1, V2 and V3, higher than the advancement velocity V0 of the feed conveyor <NUM>, whereby the feed containers <NUM> are progressively spaced from each other according to predetermined parameters in order to obtain an advancement rate suitable for subsequent synchronizations between the provided devices and handling mechanisms.

Also in this case, each advancement portion <NUM> of the channelling device <NUM> comprises at least a respective pair of movable side belts 6a, 6b, 6c which drag and feed the containers to be fed according to the velocities V1, V2 and V3 respectively where the velocity V2 is higher than the velocity V1 and lower than the velocity V3.

Advantageously, each pair of movable side belts 6a, 6b, 6c of the channelling device <NUM> can be controlled in such a way as to vary the respective advancement velocity V1, V2, V3 of the containers <NUM> in different sections of the main advancement direction X.

Preferably, the pair of movable side belts 6c of the channelling device <NUM> that is furthest from the feed conveyor <NUM> can be controlled to vary the velocity V3 and synchronize the advancement of the containers <NUM> with the devices and/or the handling mechanisms provided downstream the feed conveyor <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, at least one position detector <NUM> of the containers <NUM> to be fed, preferably an optical sensor 7a or similar optical position detector, is advantageously associated with the feed conveyor <NUM> and, in particular, with the channelling device <NUM> of the latter, so as to provide a continuous indication of the position of each container <NUM> along the channelling device.

With reference to <FIG>, the handling system <NUM> further comprises at least one transportation device <NUM> for the containers <NUM> arriving from the channelling device <NUM> of the feed conveyor <NUM> operatively arranged downstream the latter.

As can be seen in Figures from <NUM> to <NUM>, the transportation device <NUM> is provided with a plurality of feed elements 8c that can be, each one, coupled to a respective support unit <NUM>, which is also part of the invention, which is suitable for the transport of a respective container <NUM> at least along a common portion of the main feeding direction X.

In detail, each support unit <NUM> comprises a respective support base <NUM>, having a resting surface <NUM> for supporting the bottom of a container <NUM> which arrives from the feed conveyor <NUM> or from the channelling device <NUM> of the latter. Each support unit <NUM> can be coupled to a respective feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM> by means of suitable intermediate coupling elements, being it able of being decoupled therefrom to follow a path different from the path of the respective feed element 8c.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the support base <NUM> of each support unit <NUM> is symmetrical with respect to a symmetry plane which comprises a longitudinal axis A (<FIG>), coinciding with the main advancement direction X.

Advantageously, each support unit <NUM> comprises a clamping assembly <NUM>, preferably at least a gripper <NUM>, of the self-centering container <NUM> with respect to the longitudinal axis A of the respective support base <NUM> and coinciding with the main advancement direction X, i.e. equipped of a symmetrical stroke with respect to the symmetry plane Y of the containers <NUM>.

The clamping assembly <NUM> of each support portion <NUM> is switchable between a closed and clamping position of the container <NUM> and an open position which allows its loading and unloading.

Each support unit <NUM> further comprises an independent kinematic mechanism for actuating the respective clamping assembly <NUM>, i.e. not powered by and not constrained to the transportation device <NUM>.

The actuating kinematic mechanism of the clamping assembly <NUM> of each support unit <NUM> comprises at least one control element, preferably with cam, which, in predetermined fixed positions, controls the opening of the respective clamping assembly <NUM>.

On the support base <NUM> of each support unit <NUM> and, in particular on the longitudinal axis A of the latter, a virtual reference point D is defined and identified.

The virtual reference point D is always at a fixed distance from the front end of the respective support base <NUM> and is intended for centering the mouthpiece <NUM> of the respective container <NUM> to be transported. In particular, the centering of each container <NUM> with respect to the support base <NUM> of the respective support unit <NUM>, is made by aligning a reference axis E (<FIG>) of the respective mouthpiece <NUM> with the virtual point D of the respective support base <NUM>, under a condition in which the support unit <NUM> is coupled to a respective feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM>.

The virtual point D is fixed on the support base <NUM> and does not vary with the variation of the dimensions and/or shape of the container <NUM>, thus allowing, without having to change the equipment in use, the repeatability of the operations that are carried out on the relative operating machine such as for example filling, capping and/or other similar operations.

Advantageously, the virtual point D is taken as a reference point for carrying out all the operations that the operating machine must carry out as it corresponds to the mouthpiece <NUM> of the respective container <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the transportation device <NUM> has a feed branch 8a and a return branch 8b. Along the feed branch 8a, each feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM> provided with a respective support unit <NUM> advances in the same travel direction as the containers <NUM> following a first direction B substantially parallel to the main advancement direction X. Along the return branch 8b each feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM> also provided with a respective support unit <NUM> advances in the opposite direction to the travel direction of the containers <NUM>, following a second direction C substantially parallel to the first direction B.

In accordance with a variant embodiment of the present invention, each feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM> with a respective support unit <NUM> is movable independently of each other along a closed path of the transportation device <NUM> itself, which has at least one section in common with the main feeding direction X of the feed conveyor <NUM>.

Preferably, the closed path of each feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM> with a respective support unit <NUM> has at least an advancement section of the containers <NUM> which extends at least in part along the channelling device <NUM> of the feed conveyor <NUM>.

In accordance with a preferred aspect of the present invention, each feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM> is independently controllable during the handling along the aforementioned closed path, both in the excursion and in handling velocity. In this way, it is possible to synchronize the handling of each feed element 8c with respect to a corresponding container <NUM> advancing along the channelling device <NUM> of the feed conveyor <NUM> in order to ensure the correct positioning of the respective mouthpiece <NUM> with respect to the virtual reference point D of the support base <NUM> of the support unit coupled to the feed element 8c.

Advantageously, the independent handling of each feed element 8c along the closed path of the transportation device <NUM> is ensured by the fact that each feed element 8c is provided with or is part of an independent, optionally autonomous driven device (not shown).

Preferably, each feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM> is provided with or is part of a respective linear electric and/or magnetic motor which allows independent displacements along the closed path of the transportation device <NUM>. In other words, each feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM> is subjected to accelerations and/or decelerations which allow the support unit <NUM> coupled thereto to be placed in the ideal position to receive the container <NUM> advancing along the channelling device <NUM> of the feed conveyor <NUM> with the mouthpiece <NUM> aligned with the virtual reference point D of the respective support base <NUM>.

More and more in detail, through each independently movable feed element 8c, each support unit <NUM> carried by the transportation device <NUM> can be controlled with respect to the other support units <NUM> so as to accompany and/or follow and/or wait for the respective container <NUM> that is advancing and to be transported.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, each feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM> is fixed, according to a constant rate, preferably adjustable, to a dragging continuous element of the transportation device, optionally a chain or a conveyor belt or a belt. In this case, the handling of the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM>, each suitable for transporting a respective support unit <NUM>, can be controlled by managing the advancement velocity of the dragging continuous element of the transportation device <NUM>.

The dragging element of the transportation device <NUM> is made to advance at a constant velocity whereby each feed element 8c of the latter also advances according to a constant velocity along the respective closed loop path. The synchronization of the advancement of the containers <NUM> to be transported which are advancing along the channelling device <NUM> of the feed conveyor <NUM> and of the support units <NUM> carried by the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM> is preferably managed by varying the velocity of the movable side belts 6a, 6b, 6c of the channelling device <NUM>.

In accordance with the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, the handling system <NUM> further comprises at least an auxiliary transportation device <NUM> operatively associable to the feed conveyor <NUM> or to the channelling device <NUM> thereof to assist the synchronization between the latter and the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM> with the respective support units <NUM>.

The auxiliary transportation device <NUM> is provided with a plurality of transfer units <NUM>, preferably each one provided with a gripping portion <NUM> (<FIG>). The gripping portion <NUM> of each transfer unit <NUM> is capable, for example by means of corresponding grippers, of grasping the mouthpiece <NUM> of the container <NUM> to be transferred and bring it to the respective support unit <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the auxiliary transportation device <NUM> is suspended above the feed conveyor <NUM> and/or the channelling device <NUM> whereby the engagement of the containers <NUM> to be fed, by the transfer units <NUM>, as well as the deposit of the same on the respective support units <NUM> carried by the respective feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM>, are carried out from the top.

Advantageously, each transfer unit <NUM> is movable, preferably independently of each other, along at least a portion of the main feeding direction X.

Preferably, each transfer unit <NUM> is movable independently of the others according to the same principle applied to the independent handling of the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM>.

Each transfer unit <NUM> of the auxiliary transportation device <NUM> is also provided with or is part of a respective motor (electric and/or magnetic) which allows the independent handling thereof.

In accordance with the embodiments illustrated in <FIG>, the handling system <NUM> can also comprise a handler <NUM> operatively associable to the feed conveyor <NUM> or to the channelling device <NUM> of the same to assist the synchronization between the latter and the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM> with the respective support units <NUM>.

The handler <NUM> is provided with a gripping portion <NUM> capable of grasping, for example by means of appropriate grippers, the mouthpiece <NUM> of each container <NUM> to be fed, so as to transfer said container <NUM> to the resting surface <NUM> of the support base <NUM> of a respective support unit <NUM> coupled to a feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM>, so as to ensure the alignment between the corresponding reference axis E and the respective virtual point D.

Advantageously, the handling system <NUM> comprises at least one control unit, preferably an electronically programmable unit, suitable for the synchronization of the advancement of the containers <NUM> arriving from the feed conveyor <NUM> and of each feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM> with a respective support unit <NUM> to always guarantee the same positioning of the containers <NUM> to be fed on the advancing support units <NUM>. In detail, the control unit is operatively connected to the feed conveyor <NUM> and/or to the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM> to align the virtual reference point D identified on the support base <NUM> of each advancing support unit <NUM> on the transportation device <NUM> and the reference axis E of the mouthpiece <NUM> of the respective container <NUM> to be transported.

In the event that the transportation device <NUM> is provided with feed elements 8c which can be controlled independently, the control unit is operatively connected to each feed element 8c and/or to the transportation device <NUM> itself. In this way, the control unit is capable of managing the independent handling of each feed element 8c along the closed path of the transportation device <NUM> and the synchronization of the latter with respect to the containers <NUM> advancing along the channelling device <NUM> of the feed conveyor <NUM>.

In the case in which the transportation device <NUM> is instead provided with a dragging element on which all the feed elements 8c are fixed according to a predetermined rate, the control unit is operatively connected to the dragging continuous element to control the common handling of the feed elements 8c and the synchronization of the advancement of the latter with respect to the advancement of the respective containers <NUM> to be fed along the channelling device <NUM> of the feed conveyor <NUM>.

As an alternative or as an integration to the management of the handling of the dragging continuous element of the transportation device <NUM>, the control unit is operatively connected to the channelling device <NUM> of the feed conveyor <NUM> to manage, through the movable side belts 6a, 6b, 6c, the advancement velocity of the containers <NUM> to be fed, as well as the synchronization of the advancement of the latter with respect to the advancement of the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM> with the respective support units <NUM>.

In detail, the control unit can be operatively connected to at least one of the advancement portions <NUM>, preferably all of them, of the channelling device <NUM> of the feed conveyor <NUM> to manage the advancement velocity of the containers <NUM> along each advancement portion <NUM> as well as the synchronization of the advancement of the containers <NUM> with respect to the advancement of the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM> with the respective support units <NUM>.

If the auxiliary transportation device <NUM> is provided, the control unit is operatively connected to the feed conveyor <NUM> and/or to the channelling device <NUM> of the same, as well as to each transfer unit <NUM> of the auxiliary transportation device <NUM> to manage the advancement velocity of the containers <NUM> and the synchronization of the advancement of the transfer units <NUM> of the auxiliary transportation device <NUM> with respect to the advancement of the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM> with the respective support units <NUM>.

Should the use of the above described handler <NUM> is provided, the control unit is operatively connected to the feed conveyor <NUM> and/or to the channelling device <NUM> of the same, as well as to the handler <NUM> to manage the advancement velocity of the containers <NUM> and the synchronization of the handler <NUM> with respect to the advancement of the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM> with the respective support units <NUM>.

Still with reference to <FIG>, the handling system <NUM> provides for, at the transportation device <NUM>, a sorting area <NUM> of the support units <NUM> with the containers <NUM> correctly positioned thereon.

At the sorting area <NUM>, the handling system <NUM> comprises at least one diverter element <NUM> arranged to intercept the support units <NUM> transported by the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM> to modify the advancement direction and, the path, of the support units themselves. When each feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM> with the respective support unit <NUM> is at the diverter element <NUM>, a suitable mechanism (not visible in the figures) intervenes on the latter to release it from the feed element 8c so as to allow to the container <NUM> to continue towards one or more stations of the relative machine by following directions that are different from the main advancement direction X.

In accordance with the example shown in <FIG>, the diverter element <NUM> is conformed in such a way as to lead each intercepted support unit <NUM>, with the respective container <NUM>, towards one or more star wheels or carousels <NUM> of the operating machine.

At the last star wheel or carousel <NUM> provided on the machine, a conveyor element <NUM> is arranged which redirects each support unit <NUM> provided with container <NUM> towards the main advancement direction X.

When each support unit <NUM> with the respective container <NUM> arrives at the main advancement direction X it is reunited with a respective feed element 8c of the transportation device <NUM>. In this situation, corresponding mechanisms (not shown) intervene which ensure stable engagement between the support units <NUM> and the feed elements 8c of the transportation device <NUM>.

At the conveyor element <NUM>, a channelling device <NUM> similar to the channelling device <NUM> of the feed conveyor <NUM> is advantageously arranged.

In detail, the channelling device <NUM> comprises at least a pair of side belts 18a arranged to advance the containers <NUM> according to a predetermined and adjustable rate.

The channelling device <NUM> receives the containers <NUM> arriving from the operating machine to transport them to an outlet conveyor <NUM>.

A device (not shown) frees the containers <NUM> from the clamping portions <NUM> of the support units <NUM>, opening the latter.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the transportation device <NUM> extends between the feed conveyor <NUM> and the outlet conveyor <NUM> in such a way as to have at least an advancement section in common with the channelling device <NUM> of the feed conveyor <NUM> and with the channelling device <NUM> at the outlet conveyor <NUM>.

The handling system and the method thereof allow achieving important advantages.

The system thus conceived allows the optimal synchronization between the containers to be fed and the support units that transport the containers between the feed conveyor and the star wheels or carousels of the machine.

The independent handling of each support unit along the closed path of the transportation device allows the single synchronization of each support unit with respect to the container to be transported by advancement along the main feeding direction.

Claim 1:
Handling system (<NUM>) of containers (<NUM>) provided with a mouthpiece (<NUM>) and a symmetry plane (Y) passing through the mouthpiece (<NUM>), the handling system (<NUM>) comprising:
at least one feed conveyor (<NUM>) suitable for advancing a plurality of containers (<NUM>) along a main feeding direction (X), the feed conveyor (<NUM>) being provided at the outlet with at least one channelling device (<NUM>);
at least one transportation device (<NUM>) operatively arranged downstream the feed conveyor (<NUM>) to advance the containers (<NUM>) arriving from the latter, the transportation device (<NUM>) comprising a plurality of feed elements (8c) that can be, each one, coupled to a respective support unit (<NUM>) provided with a clamping assembly (<NUM>) adapted to retain a respective container (<NUM>) to be advanced;
at least one control unit, preferably an electronically programmable control unit, suitable for synchronization of the advancement of the containers (<NUM>) arriving from the feed conveyor (<NUM>) and the advancement of each feed element (8c) of the transportation device (<NUM>) carrying a respective support unit (<NUM>), characterised in that the control unit is operatively connected to the feed conveyor (<NUM>) and/or to the feed elements (8c) of the transportation device (<NUM>) to align a virtual reference point (D) identified on each support unit (<NUM>) and a reference axis (E) of the mouthpiece (<NUM>) of the containers (<NUM>) to be transported, the virtual reference point (D) remaining unchanged with the variation of the size of the containers (<NUM>) to be fed, and in that each support unit (<NUM>) is adapted to be decoupled from a respective feed element (8c) to follow a path different from the path of the respective feed element (8c) itself.