Patent Description:
More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus for tipping boxes.

The invention has been developed in particular with a view to the automatic handling of products in production plants, automatic warehouses, shipping centers, etc., where operations of storage, sorting, distribution, packaging, shipping, etc. are carried out.

The invention was developed in particular with a view to its application in shipping centers for products sold through e-commerce channels.

In storage, sorting, packaging and shipping systems, boxes are frequently used for transporting products. The boxes containing the products are generally handled by roller or belt conveyors. When a box reaches its destination, the products contained therein are unloaded for further processing.

The emptying of the boxes may be carried out by tipping devices, which pick up the boxes and overturn them so as to release the products from the open upper sides of the boxes.

<CIT> discloses a box tipping system comprising two tipping arms rotatable about a first axis and a door rotatable about a second axis. The door is applied to the upper open face of a box. Then, the tipping arms and the door jointly rotate to tip the box. During the tipping of the box, the door closes the upper open face of the box and prevents the products from escaping. When the box has completed a rotation of about <NUM>°, the door opens and forms an inclined chute on which the products that come out of the box slide.

The box tipping system described in <CIT> is affected by various drawbacks, including:.

Consequently, the tipping cycle of a box is quite long, in the order of about <NUM> seconds.

Furthermore, the tipping system described in <CIT> may involve risks of damage to the products, in particular in the case wherein the boxes contain fragile products that have not yet been packaged.

<CIT> discloses an apparatus according to the preamble of claims <NUM> and <NUM>.

The present invention aims to provide an apparatus for tipping boxes that overcomes the problems of the prior art.

According to the present invention, this object is achieved by an apparatus having the characteristics forming the subject of claims <NUM> or <NUM>.

Preferred embodiments of the invention form the subject of the dependent claims.

The claims form an integral part of the disclosure provided here in relation to the invention.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, given purely by way of non-limiting example, wherein:.

It will be appreciated that the accompanying drawings are schematic and that some components may not be shown to assist in understanding the Figures. Also, it will be appreciated that the various figures may not be represented on the same scale.

With reference to <FIG>, numeral <NUM> indicates an apparatus for tipping boxes <NUM>.

The boxes <NUM> are used for transporting products <NUM> of various types in production, storage, sorting, packaging, shipping, etc. plants. The boxes <NUM> are usually made of plastic material and generally have a parallelepiped shape with an open upper face. Each box <NUM> has two upper longitudinal sides having respective outer edges <NUM> which protrude from the respective side walls. With reference to <FIG>, the boxes <NUM> advance along a longitudinal direction X on an inlet conveyor <NUM>, for example, a belt conveyor. The inlet conveyor <NUM> transports each box <NUM> to a tipping station <NUM>.

The apparatus <NUM> picks up the box <NUM> which - in each case - is located in the tipping station <NUM> and overturns it in the manner which will be described below. During the overturning of each box <NUM>, the products <NUM> come out of the upper open face of the box <NUM> and are collected on an outlet conveyor <NUM>.

The tipping apparatus <NUM> comprises a stationary support structure <NUM> and a chute <NUM> fixed with respect to the stationary support structure <NUM>. The chute <NUM> comprises an inclined surface <NUM> having an upper edge <NUM> and a lower edge <NUM>. The lower edge <NUM> is located above the outlet conveyor <NUM>. The chute <NUM> may have a pair of lateral sides <NUM> which extend on opposite sides of the inclined surface <NUM>.

The tipping apparatus <NUM> comprises a movable support <NUM> rotatable with respect to the stationary support structure <NUM> around a first axis A parallel to the longitudinal direction X along which the boxes <NUM> move as they advance towards the tipping station <NUM>.

The tipping apparatus <NUM> comprises two tipping arms <NUM> carried by the movable support <NUM> and jointly rotatable with respect to the movable support <NUM> about a second axis B parallel to the first axis A. The tipping arms <NUM> may be connected to each other by a shaft <NUM>, which may extend along the second axis B. The tipping arms <NUM> are parallel to each other and extend along a transverse direction Y perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. The tipping arms <NUM> are located inside the lateral sides <NUM> of the chute <NUM>. The tipping arms <NUM> carry a first and a second guide <NUM>, <NUM>, which extend parallel to the longitudinal direction X. The first and second guides <NUM>, <NUM> have a C-shaped cross-section and are configured to engage their respective edges <NUM> of a box <NUM> when the box, advancing along the inlet conveyor <NUM>, enters the tipping station <NUM>. The first and second guides <NUM>, <NUM> may have respective inlet sections <NUM> to facilitate the insertion of the outer edges <NUM> of a box <NUM> inside the guides <NUM>, <NUM>.

The tipping apparatus <NUM> comprises a drive unit <NUM> configured to control the rotation of the movable support <NUM> relative to the stationary support structure <NUM> about the first axis A, and the rotation of the tipping arms <NUM> relative to the movable support <NUM> about the second axis B independently of each other.

In one possible embodiment, the drive unit <NUM> comprises a first rotary motor <NUM> carried by the stationary support structure <NUM> and arranged to control the rotation of the movable support <NUM> with respect to the stationary support structure <NUM> around said first axis A.

The drive unit <NUM> may comprise a second rotary motor <NUM> carried by the movable support <NUM> and arranged to control the joint rotation of the two tipping arms <NUM> with respect to the movable support <NUM> about the second axis B. The first and second motors <NUM>, <NUM> may be associated with respective reducers.

The apparatus <NUM> may comprise an electronic control unit <NUM> which controls the first and second motors <NUM>, <NUM> in a mutually coordinated manner.

The operation of the tipping apparatus <NUM> is as follows.

In a first step, illustrated in <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> is in a pick-up position in which the tipping arms <NUM> extend above the inlet conveyor <NUM>. The first and second guides <NUM>, <NUM> are at the same distance from the inlet conveyor <NUM>. A box <NUM> containing products <NUM> advances in the longitudinal direction X along the inlet conveyor <NUM>. When the box <NUM> enters the tipping station <NUM>, the outer edges <NUM> of the box <NUM> fit into the respective guides <NUM>, <NUM>. The movement in the longitudinal direction X of the box <NUM> stops when the box <NUM> is located between the two tipping arms <NUM>. For example, sensors could be provided which detect the position of the box <NUM> and stop the inlet conveyor <NUM> when the box <NUM> is in the correct position.

At this point, as shown in <FIG>, the movable support <NUM> is driven to rotate about the first axis A in a first direction (counterclockwise in the representation of <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>) and the tipping arms <NUM> are driven to rotate around the second axis B with respect to the movable support <NUM> in a second direction opposite to the first direction (clockwise in the representation of <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>). This actuation in opposite directions of the movable support <NUM> and of the tipping arms <NUM> causes a movement of the tipping arms <NUM> and of the box <NUM> along a straight direction C inclined upwards, so as to approach a longitudinal side of the box <NUM> with the upper edge <NUM> of the chute <NUM>. This approach movement of the box <NUM> to the upper edge <NUM> of the chute <NUM> takes place without tipping the box <NUM>, so as to avoid the risk that the products come out of the box before the box <NUM> is approached to the chute <NUM>.

When the box <NUM> reaches the position illustrated with a dashed line in <FIG>, the box <NUM> is located between the lateral sides <NUM> of the chute <NUM>.

At this point, the tipping of the box <NUM> begins, as shown in <FIG>. In this step, the movable support <NUM> remains stationary and the tipping arms <NUM> rotate with respect to the movable support <NUM> around the second axis B. The rotation of the tipping arms <NUM> around the axis B continues until the tipping position shown in <FIG> and <FIG> is reached.

The rotation angle of the box between the pick-up position and the tipping position may be between <NUM>° - <NUM>°. For example, in the tipping position, the box <NUM> may be rotated by <NUM>° with respect to the pick-up position.

In the tipping position, the products <NUM> come out of the box <NUM> by gravity through the open upper face, slide on the inclined surface <NUM> of the chute <NUM> and reach the outlet conveyor <NUM> where they are transported in the Y direction.

The lateral sides <NUM> prevent the products <NUM> from falling from the side edges of the chute <NUM>. The approach movement without rotation of the box <NUM> to the upper edge <NUM> of the chute <NUM> prevents the escaping of products <NUM> from the box <NUM> in the space between the box <NUM> and the upper edge <NUM> of the chute <NUM>.

When the emptying of the box <NUM> has finished, the tipping arms <NUM> and the movable support <NUM> rotate around the respective axes B and A to bring the empty box back onto the inlet conveyor <NUM>, where it is transported out of the tipping station <NUM>. Then, a new box <NUM> is placed in the tipping station <NUM> for a new cycle. The return of the box <NUM> to its initial position may take place by simultaneously operating the tipping arms <NUM> and the main plate <NUM> to reduce the cycle time.

<FIG> illustrates a second embodiment of an apparatus for tipping boxes according to the present invention. The elements corresponding to those previously described are indicated with the same numeral references.

With reference to <FIG>, the drive unit <NUM> comprises a single motor <NUM> carried by the stationary support structure <NUM> and associated with a transmission mechanism <NUM> which transmits a translational and rotational movement to the movable support <NUM>.

The transmission mechanism <NUM> comprises a guide plate <NUM> fixed with respect to the stationary support structure <NUM> and having a first guide <NUM> and a second guide <NUM> parallel to each other and inclined with respect to a vertical direction. The first guide <NUM> and the second guide <NUM> may be formed by respective straight slots. The first guide <NUM> has a closed upper end and the second guide <NUM> has an open upper end.

In the embodiment of <FIG>, the movable support <NUM> may have the shape of a plate to which the tipping arms <NUM> are attached. The movable support <NUM> has a first engagement element <NUM> and a second engagement element <NUM>, formed for example by pins, configured to engage, respectively, the first guide <NUM> and the second guide <NUM> of the guide plate <NUM>.

The transmission mechanism <NUM> comprises an arm <NUM> fixed to the outlet shaft of the motor <NUM> and carrying a third engagement element <NUM> at its distal end - formed for example by a pin - which engages a third guide <NUM> - formed for example by a straight slot - formed in the movable support <NUM>.

The transmission mechanism <NUM> may comprise an elastic element <NUM> which elastically pushes the third engagement element <NUM> towards the upper end of the first guide <NUM>.

During operation, in a pick-up position, the engagement elements <NUM>, <NUM> engage the respective guides <NUM>, <NUM> of the guide plate <NUM> and are located near the lower ends of the guides <NUM>, <NUM>.

After a box <NUM> has engaged the guides <NUM>, <NUM> of the two tipping arms <NUM>, the motor <NUM> rotates the arm <NUM> which, through the third engagement element <NUM> engaged in the third guide <NUM>, commands an upward movement of the movable support <NUM>.

As long as the first engagement element <NUM> and the second engagement element <NUM> are engaged in the respective guides <NUM>, <NUM>, the movable support <NUM> and the box <NUM> move with a translational movement along a straight direction C inclined upwards. Continuing the rotation of the arm <NUM>, the second engagement element <NUM> reaches the upper end of the second guide <NUM> and disengages from the second guide <NUM> while the first engagement element <NUM> remains engaged with the upper end of the first guide <NUM>. At this point, the further rotation of the arm <NUM> commands a rotation of the movable support <NUM> around an axis A passing through the first engagement element <NUM>. The rotation of the movable support <NUM> around the axis A produces the tipping of the box <NUM>.

Once the tipping of the box <NUM> has been completed, the arm <NUM> is rotated in the opposite direction, so as to bring the second engagement element <NUM> of the movable support <NUM> back into engagement with the upper end of the second guide <NUM> and up to depositing the empty box <NUM> on the inlet conveyor <NUM>.

The embodiment of <FIG> and the embodiment of <FIG> both relate to an apparatus for tipping boxes, comprising:.

In the solutions according to the present invention, the cover of the upper open face of the box <NUM> with a door is not provided. Therefore, the tipping cycle may begin immediately after a full box enters the tipping station <NUM>. This allows considerable reduction of the cycle time.

The tipping arc of the box is considerably smaller than in solutions according to the prior art, which further reduces the cycle time.

In the solutions according to the prior art, the return movement of the box from the overturned position towards the initial position contributes to the transfer of the products onto the chute. Therefore, the return movement must be controlled and cannot be performed at high speed. In the solutions according to the present invention, the products are completely overturned onto the chute at the end of the tipping of the box, so that the return movement may be performed more quickly, which further contributes to a reduction in the cycle time.

All these characteristics combine to obtain more efficient dynamics of the tipping system, which requires less energy and lower torques thanks to lower rotation angles and smaller rotation arms that are closer to the box (lower torque/power demand).

A particularly advantageous characteristic of the solution according to the present invention is that the combination of the two rotational movements around the axes A and B generates a movement profile very similar to that which would be implemented by an operator who had to manually perform the tipping, minimizing the forces involved.

Claim 1:
An apparatus for tipping boxes, comprising:
- a stationary support structure (<NUM>),
- a chute (<NUM>) fixed with respect to the stationary support structure (<NUM>) and including an inclined surface (<NUM>) having an upper edge (<NUM>) and a lower edge (<NUM>),
- a movable support (<NUM>) carrying two tipping arms (<NUM>), wherein the tipping arms (<NUM>) carry a first and a second guide (<NUM>, <NUM>) extending parallel to a longitudinal direction (X) and configured to engage respective outer edges (<NUM>) of a box (<NUM>), and
- a drive unit (<NUM>) configured to move said tipping arms (<NUM>) with respect to the stationary support structure (<NUM>) along a straight direction (C) inclined with respect to a vertical direction,
characterized in that the drive unit (<NUM>) is further configured to rotate the tipping arms (<NUM>) with respect to the stationary support structure (<NUM>) around an axis (A, B) parallel to said longitudinal direction (X),
wherein the movable support (<NUM>) is rotatable with respect to the stationary support structure (<NUM>) about a first axis (A) parallel to said longitudinal direction (X), and wherein the tipping arms (<NUM>) are rotatable jointly with respect to the movable support (<NUM>) around a second axis (B) parallel to said first axis (A), and wherein the drive unit (<NUM>) is configured to control the rotation of the movable support (<NUM>) with respect to the stationary support structure (<NUM>) around said first axis (A) and the rotation of the tipping arms (<NUM>) with respect to the movable support (<NUM>) around said second axis (B) independently from each other,
wherein said drive unit (<NUM>) comprises a first rotary motor (<NUM>) fixed with respect to said stationary support structure (<NUM>) and arranged to control the rotation of said movable support (<NUM>) with respect to the stationary support structure (<NUM>) around said first axis (A), and
wherein said drive unit (<NUM>) comprises a second rotary motor (<NUM>) carried by said movable support (<NUM>) and arranged to control the rotation of said tipping arms (<NUM>) with respect to the movable support (<NUM>) around said second axis (B).