Patent Description:
In the past, layering heads have been available. However, they focused on different aspects of transferring the packages having spent additional operation, or mechanical stops in order to position grouped packages.

Patent application <CIT> discloses a layering head according to the preamble of claim <NUM>. Said document describes a gripping head for groups of products including a central support, connectable to a robotic arm, and at least two gripping elements associated with the central support from opposite sides, and mobile along a predetermined direction A at least from respective open positions to respective closed positions in which they are suitable for lifting the group of products. Each of said gripping elements includes means for moving the group of products forward along the predetermined direction A, and a respective opening suitable for allowing the group of products to pass along said predetermined direction A, pulled by said forward movement means.

Patent application <CIT> describes an object stacking device. In it, objects are gradually pushed across a table to form rows. Then the different rows are pushed against each other on a fork to form a layer of objects to be palletized. The layer is formed directly on the depositing fork. There is no transfer of a preformed layer of objects from a conveyor to a depositing tool. This has the drawback that the removal tool, here the fork, is immobilized throughout the shaping time of the layer to be palletized. Furthermore, the apparatus described in this same document comprises a track of arrival rollers which may have rollers driven by a motor followed by rollers which may be free to rotate. However, the transfer of a given object from the driven rollers to the free rollers is only achieved in full because the objects which follow this object, and are driven by the motorized rollers, push this object out of the motorized rollers. The document does not present a solution to finish the transfer of a layer of objects out of the motorized rollers.

Patent application <CIT> describes a solution wherein the grouping table for shrink-packs comprises a continuously operating conveyor which feeds the packs to a second conveyor which operates stepwise. A slide moves across the second conveyor and pushes packages on to a stacking table. The second conveyor has ribs on its surface to prevent packages from sliding forwards.

Patent application <CIT> describes the transfer of a packet from upstream rollers to downstream rollers. The transfer of the packet takes place in full while the upstream rollers and the downstream rollers are both driven in rotation by a drive belt.

Patent application <CIT> describes a solution wherein a slanted slider transfers the articles from the first conveyor to the second conveyor. Advancement speed and direction are synchronized in such a way that the speed components in the conveyor devices match the conveyance speeds of the conveyors. This enables articles to be transferred without time loss.

Patent application <CIT> describes describes a solution wherein an item-handling device, wherein a layer head includes an item layer building platform defining an item receiving plane, the layer building platform being vertically positionable. A puller bar mounts to the layer head and moves in relation thereto within a plane above the item-receiving plane. The puller bar is positionable between a retracted position above the layer building platform and an extended position offset from the layer building platform.

Patent application <CIT> describes a solution wherein a movably connected slide is provided for shifting of the bundles along a horizontal receiving direction through an open front side. The slide is provided for circumferential encompassing of the bundles and is shiftable between an outer position in front of the open front side and an inner position behind the open front side. Lateral sides running parallel to one another extend along the receiving direction of the bundles. Independent claims are also included for the following: a system for repositioning of bundle a method for receiving bundles a method for repositioning of the bundles.

Patent application <CIT> describes a solution wherein the device has an actively driven continuous conveyor for transporting container layers in to a blind head, which comprises a securing element that is formed as a pivotable bracket. The container layers are secured at a side turned towards a continuous conveyor. The bracket loads the container layers with additional movable components in a transport unit. The conveyor is designed as a mat conveyor or formed as a ribbed modular conveyor belt. The conveyor comprises an integrated magnet. An independent claim is also included for a method for transferring container layers to a loading station of a transport device.

Patent application <CIT> describes a solution wherein the palletizer has a conveyor that is equipped with an advancement module which advances a preformed layer of objects, to impart kinetic energy to the preformed layer of objects. A layer depositing tool is designed to deposit the preformed layer of objects onto a pallet. A transfer module is provided for transferring the preformed layer of objects, so that entirety of the preformed layer of objects leaves the conveyor and arrives on the layer depositing tool. The conveyor is designed as a conveyor-launcher to launch preformed layers of objects. An independent claim is included for a method for palletizing preformed layer of objects on pallet using conveyor and layer depositing tool.

State of the art palletizer often comprises a conveyor equipped with a motorized drive belt and a depositing tool having a surface of rollers free to rotate and equipped with an end arm of introduction. The rollers are for example mounted on bearings and are not connected to a drive motor. Some rollers do not support objects and some rollers are those on which objects roll. When no object is rolling over it, the rollers are stationary. Regarding the method, in a first training phase, a preformed layer of objects is driven from an initial position to an intermediate position. In this intermediate position, a part of the preformed layer of objects has already begun to be introduced onto the free rollers and there remains only one or a few objects on the conveyor belt.

The arrival of objects on the rollers is accompanied by the rotation of the indicated rollers. The setting in rotation of the rollers supposes to overcome the inertia of these rollers. This consumes part of the kinetic energy of the objects which are thus slowed down. In addition, the rotation of the rollers is accompanied by friction in their bearings which also slows down the objects. Objects are no longer trained as they were on mat. The driving of the objects 6a is due to the coefficient of friction exhibited by the objects on the belt. In the intermediate position, the or the few remaining objects on the belt generate a thrust force which may be insufficient to continue pushing all the other objects already on the free rollers. The end of introduction of the layer on the free rollers uses a complementary pushing means, and illustrated in the form of the arm equipped with a pusher. In the prior art, the pusher takes in loads at least the end of the introduction of the preformed layer of objects so that it finishes leaving the belt of the conveyor. In other words, the means for transferring the preformed object layer from the belt to the removal tool comprises not only the motorization of the belt, but also the actuation of the arm.

Such a method of transferring the conveyor to the removal tool has several drawbacks which contribute to a slow and expensive transfer. In fact, between the initial and final positions, the layer of objects is taken over by several drive means and. This involves a high cost and requires synchronization of these different means. This synchronization requires means of synchronization and time delays. In addition, the existence of the arm <NUM> and of the pusher can slow down the sequences of the palletizing process taking place, either before or after the transfer.

Thanks to the motorization of the rollers of the loading station, the objects arriving on these rollers are not slowed down and do not oppose the arrival on the loading station of the objects which are still on the conveyor. In other words, the means of transferring all of the preformed layer of objects from the conveyor to the loading station comprises not only the motorization of the conveyor but also the motorization of the rollers of the loading station and also includes the actuation of the securing arm.

The invention provides a layering head according to claim <NUM>, a column palletizer according to claim <NUM> and a method for populating a pallet according to claim <NUM>.

Column palletizer solves technical problem of grouping the packages, and transferring a layer of said grouped packages onto a pallet, either as a first row, or any subsequent row, wherein said grouped packages are appropriately centered and positioned in order to maintain appropriate packages distribution on said pallet by comprising at least one layering head used for positioning of said group of packages, said group of packages comprising at least one package to be positioned on the pallet.

Column palletizer according to this invention comprises at least one columns for driving of said layering head.

In preferred embodiment said layering head accepts said group of packages which has been pre-arranged on pre-arranging head which is comprised of transport chain covered with rubber or other friction surface, construction components for supporting of said transport chain, and a drive for driving of said transport chain.

Term transport chain should be understood as any kind of conveyer belt or similar moving mechanism for transporting group of packages, or individual packages, from one position to another.

Layering head according to this invention is used for positioning of said group of packages and depositing of said group of packages onto a pallet. Positioning of said group of packages is arranged by placing of said group of packages between four supports which through friction lock (force lock), or combination of force lock and positive lock mechanism. By maintaining of said force on said group of packages, said group of packages can be moved around without further support, including being positioned onto the top of a pallet, or previous layer which has been previously positioned on said pallet.

These four support mechanisms are comprised of lateral support mechanism comprised of two facing supports, and front-and-back support further comprised of two facing supports.

In addition, said layering head comprises rollers which are either driven, or freely rotatable around their axes, and pressing plates, said pressing plates for example driven using hydraulic cylinders, actuators, or similar. Said rollers can also be freely rotatable until such time that they engage with driving means upon which time they become driven.

Subject of this invention is therefore a layering head according to claim <NUM> comprising:.

Said gap is formed by splitting of said surface of rollers into at least two surfaces of rollers, said at least two surfaces of rollers having each driving means for driving of said at least two surfaces of rollers each in opposite direction so said gap is formed in said layering head in order to allow positioning of said group of packages onto said pallet.

Said layering head is part of the column palletizer according to claim <NUM>, said column palletizer further comprising pre-forming head to pre-form group of packages, said group of packages to be forwarded onto said layering head in order to be placed onto said pallet.

The method for transporting of group of packages according to claim <NUM> comprises the following steps:.

Below, the essence of the invention is presented with help of figures, as follows.

<FIG> shows column <NUM>, layering head <NUM>, pallet <NUM>, conveyers <NUM>, pre-forming head <NUM>, pre-forming head column <NUM>.

<FIG> is basic layout which can differ according to situation without changing the essence of the invention.

<FIG> shows column <NUM>, layering head <NUM>, pre-forming head <NUM>, pre-forming head column <NUM>, direction of layering head movement C and direction of pre-forming head movement.

The method according to this invention is comprised of cycles which may be repeated, depending on number of layers to be deposited. During each cycle pre-forming head <NUM> rises while layering head moves up and down to deposit the layer and to accept the next layer.

Group of packages arrive into pre-forming head <NUM>. There, the group is roughly formed on rubber (or some other sort of friction) pad or similar support. Then, the group is moved to layering head <NUM> for further processing. Of course, both heads can move up and down, but in this embodiment, the pre-forming head <NUM> only moves up (direction D) while layering head moves up and down (direction C).

<FIG> shows pre-forming head <NUM>, rubber or some similar friction material pad which can be operated as a conveyer or chain <NUM>, support components of said pre-forming head <NUM>, and driving mechanism <NUM> for driving of said rubber or some similar friction material pad which can be operated as a conveyer or chain.

<FIG> shows rubber or some similar friction material pad which can be operated as a conveyer or chain <NUM>.

<FIG> shows layering head <NUM> showing front support <NUM>, drive for front support <NUM>, surface of rollers <NUM>, drive for rollers <NUM>, back support <NUM>, drive for back support <NUM>, lateral support <NUM>, drive for lateral support <NUM>, the first direction A of moving of group of packages.

<FIG> shows basic setup of subject of invention. The surface of rollers <NUM> moves the group of packages arriving into said layering head <NUM> in the first direction A until such time that group of packages impinge onto front support <NUM>, or alternatively, group of packages stop, and then front support impinges onto said essentially stationary group of packages. Then said group of packages is pressed by back support <NUM> and two opposing (facing) lateral supports <NUM> in order that said group of packages is both positioned, and force or form locked by all four supports (front <NUM>, back <NUM>, both lateral <NUM> supports). Manner in which rollers surface <NUM> move is by rotating of said rollers of surface of rollers <NUM> using drive for rollers <NUM>. This will be further explained below.

<FIG> shows layering head showing said surface of rollers <NUM>, pressing plate or plurality thereof <NUM>, and pressing plate or plurality thereof cylinder <NUM>.

The surface of rollers <NUM> start to rotate about their axes when at least part of group of packages comes into contact with at least one roller of surface of rollers <NUM>. If roller is left to rotate, it will simply rotate and will not be controllably propelling said group of packages any further. In order to facilitate such move, there must be a reference surface pressed against such rotating roller. This is achieved by means of pressing plate or plurality thereof <NUM>, said pressing plates driven by pressing plate cylinder <NUM>.

<FIG> shows group of packages <NUM> in said layering head being propelled onto predetermined approximate position on said surface of rollers <NUM>.

<FIG> shows fine positioning of said group of packages <NUM> by means of four supports, i.e. front support <NUM>, back support <NUM> and both lateral supports <NUM>. Of course, there may be more supports. Said group of packages <NUM> which has been approximately positioned by means of surface of rollers <NUM> is now finely positioned to pre-determined position by means of four supports. These four supports can act in at least two different fashions. In the first case, the group of packages <NUM> is impinging onto the front support <NUM> by means of moving with help of surface of rollers, and effectively stopped by them. Then, the back support <NUM> further presses group of packages into the front support <NUM> in order to establish force lock in front-back direction. Then, both lateral supports <NUM> move one against another until such time that force lock in lateral direction is established. Now, group of packages <NUM> can be moved around to arrive at predetermined position. In the second case, the group of packages is approximately positioned by surface of rollers without impinging on any support. Then, the supports are pressed against said group of packages <NUM> in arbitrary predetermined fashion, and supports having form or force lock onto said group of packages <NUM> are moved around until predetermined position is achieved.

<FIG> shows layering head <NUM> with surface of rollers <NUM> with their drive <NUM> in "closed" position. In such a case group of packages (not shown here) cannot be deposited onto said pallet (also not shown) as surface of rollers <NUM> forms bottom. In order to deposit said group of packages (not shown here) onto said pallet (also not shown) surface of rollers <NUM> must form a gap by driving in different directions which is seen in <FIG> and <FIG>.

<FIG> shows pressing plate <NUM> with its cylinder <NUM> (there can be plurality of those) pressing onto surface of rollers <NUM>. By pressing pressing plate <NUM> onto surface of rollers <NUM> they no longer rotate around their own axes but start to move as they have a reference plane with high enough surface friction. If group of packages (not shown here) is positioned on the top of surface of rollers <NUM>, said group of packages moves in direction of roller rotation as a result.

<FIG> shows gap <NUM> between two groups of rollers of surface of rollers <NUM>. One set moves in one direction B (opposite to the first direction A), and another in first direction A. By so moving, there is a gap <NUM> formed instead of bottom. Now, group of packages (not shown here) can be deposited onto said pallet (also not shown here) as they are only held with force or form (positive) lock of said supports (not shown here). Both drives <NUM>, <NUM> in the first A and the opposite B directions, respectively, are shown.

<FIG> shows depiction of pressing plate <NUM> function. During rotation of rollers forming surface of rollers <NUM> pressing plate <NUM> is pressed against said surface of rollers <NUM> forcing said rollers to start moving rather than just rotating around their respective axes.

<FIG> shows method of operation. Group of packages (which can be group of beer cans, bottles, post packages, plates, etc.) <NUM> is moving onto pre-forming head <NUM>. Therein said group of packages <NUM> is roughly formed on rubber (or some other sort of friction) pad or similar support. Then, pre-forming head <NUM> is elevated onto same level as surface of rollers <NUM> of said layering head. Pallet <NUM> is also seen. On this figure, the pallet <NUM> shows no previously deposited groups of packages but this is just one case - of course, there can be already group of packages or plurality thereof deposited in one layer or plurality thereof. In fact three distinct groups of packages <NUM> are shown - one coming in the first direction A toward pre-forming head <NUM>, one already in pre-forming head <NUM> and one in layering head <NUM>. So, after three cycles are to be complete, three layers of group of packages would be formed on said pallet <NUM>. Or, alternatively, some of group of packages could be positioned next to each other, depending on programming, but in this embodiment, three layers would be formed.

Pre-forming head <NUM> must be elevated to the level of surface of rollers <NUM> of layering head <NUM>.

<FIG> shows so aligned pre-forming head <NUM> and layering head <NUM> while group of packages is traversing from said pre-forming head <NUM> to said layering head <NUM> to get into contacts first with at least one roller of said surface of rollers <NUM>. Rubber (or some other sort of friction) pad or similar support <NUM> in form of conveyer is also seen. Then, pre-forming head <NUM> is elevated onto same level as surface of rollers <NUM> of said layering head <NUM>. Pallet <NUM> is also shown.

<FIG> shows the group of packages <NUM> positioned on said surface of rollers <NUM> of said layering head <NUM>. Some of rollers of said surface of rollers <NUM> are shown in white, and some in black, indicating which rollers are to move in the first direction (white) and which in opposite direction (black) when forming a gap through which said group of packages can be deposited onto said pallet <NUM>.

<FIG> is again explaining movement of group of packages <NUM> with help of rotating rollers of surface of rollers <NUM> by pressing pressing plate <NUM> onto said rollers.

Claim 1:
A layering head (<NUM>) for placing of group of packages comprising at least one package, said layering head (<NUM>) further comprising:
- surface of rollers (<NUM>) comprised of at least two rollers;
- driving means (<NUM>) for driving at least one roller of said surface of rollers (<NUM>);
- at least one roller of said surface of rollers (<NUM>) starting to rotate after being placed into contact with at least part of at least one package of group of packages, and ceasing to rotate after said at least one package of group of packages has reached predetermined position, said group of packages comprised of at least one package;
- positioning means for positioning of said group of packages onto predetermined position;
- said positioning means to force lock or positive lock with said group of packages;
- said positioning means comprised of at least two facing lateral supports (<NUM>) and of at least one front (<NUM>), and at least one back support (<NUM>), said front (<NUM>) and back (<NUM>) supports facing one another;
- said positioning means capable of transporting of said group of packages by form locking or positive locking with group of packages and moving it around by moving of said layering head (<NUM>);
- said surface of rollers capable of forming a gap (<NUM>) in order to allow positioning of said group of packages onto a pallet (<NUM>), said pallet (<NUM>) either empty or partially populated by previously deposited group of packages; said gap (<NUM>) formed by splitting of said surface of rollers (<NUM>) into at least two surfaces of rollers, said at least two surfaces of rollers having each at least one drive (<NUM>, <NUM>) for driving of said at least two surfaces of rollers each in opposite direction so said gap (<NUM>) is formed in said layering head (<NUM>) in order to allow positioning of said group of packages onto said pallet (<NUM>); characterised in that the layering head (<NUM>) comprises a pressing plate (<NUM>) to press onto said at least one roller of said surface of rollers (<NUM>) to force movement of said at least one roller of surface of rollers (<NUM>) determined by rotation of said at least one roller of surface of rollers (<NUM>).