Patent ID: 12234049

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the above figures, is indicated by1in as a whole an items processing assembly for a packaging machine (not illustrated inFIG.1) comprising a feeding station2for receiving items from previous production steps and performing at least one set-up operation e.g. orientation and/or grouping, a shuttle grouping and transport (collating) station3for transporting ordered items from one or more of the packaging machines in an orderly manner items collected from the feeding station2, a discharging station4for unloading ordered items from one or more shuttles, and a bundling or generally packaging station5(illustrated inFIG.9) for handling the items ordered and unloaded from the discharging station4within a package, for example a bundling bag.

In greater detail, and according to a non-limiting embodiment, the feeding station comprises a conveyor belt6on which the items e.g. are loaded pell-mell or randomly, a launching device7e.g. with rollers for conveying with a predefined and constant frequency one or more items at a time into a loading area C facing the grouping station3and a loading device8, e.g. a robotic diverter e.g. Cartesian or with at least 2 axes, for loading the items onto the shuttle. It is, however, possible that other devices are arranged to load singularised items or known quantities of items onto the shuttle, for example chain diverters with fixed pitch walls rotating intermittently or continuously. Preferably with a squared loop. The feeding station2can be configured to process in particular a column-like grouping of items oriented, for each column presented to the grouping station3, all in the same way.

FIG.2schematically shows a non-limiting embodiment of the shuttle grouping station3comprising a closed circuit along which two or more shuttles9are movable to load into the loading area C a plurality of items in corresponding predefined positions and bring them to the discharge station4, and then return unloaded again to the loading area C. In the non-limiting embodiment form ofFIG.2, the closed circuit has an upper branch10defining the discharge station4and a lower branch11. Towards the loading area C, the branches10,11are connected with a radius of curvature greater than that applied by longitudinally opposite sides according to the direction of the branches themselves. In this way, it is easier to load the items onto the shuttle facing the loading area C. In particular, in the upper branch10the items are loaded on the corresponding shuttle9by gravity and in the lower branch11the shuttle9in transit is turned upside down and therefore unloaded. Therefore, the lower branch11is a return branch for the shuttles9for the purpose of performing continuous cycles of loading-unloading operations. The circuit ofFIG.2allows loading items perpendicularly to a bottom of the shuttles9and so, during the path to the discharge station4, the items rotate by 90°. Alternatively, the feeding station2can be configured to load the items laterally on the shuttles9i.e. along the same direction of unloading at the discharge station4. In such a case, the items are loaded onto the shuttles9in the same angular orientation in which they are subsequently unloaded.

With reference toFIG.3, the grouping station3comprises, for each shuttle9, a motor-driven belt, chain or other flexible endless element12rolley. Each shuttle9is therefore independently controllable from the others, e.g. during the transport of items, so as to allow the replenishment of a shuttle9at the loading area C and the unloading of another shuttle9at the discharge station4. Preferably, in order to independently control the movement of the shuttles9, the belts12are side-by-side and each shuttle9is guided by means of suitable rails13following the closed circuit. For example, the rails13are loaded by the weight of the shuttle9with the items on board when the shuttle itself reaches the discharge station4.

In order to define a seat for each items or each group of items, each shuttle9comprises a plurality of walls14(FIG.1) transverse to the direction of transport along the circuit and spaced apart from each other, preferably equally spaced along the transport direction. The walls14longitudinally delimit a plurality of seats for transporting items on the corresponding shuttle9. As indicated above, the belts12are side by side transversely to follow, each, the circuit and preferably each shuttle9is guided by a pair of belts12. The walls14of each shuttle are connected to the corresponding pair of belts12and preferably the walls14of all the shuttles9have the same length e.g. they are all at least as long as the transverse distance between the two most distant belts12from each other.

According to a first embodiment, each shuttle9comprises a plurality of wheeled trolleys C resting on the rails13and each trolley is attached to a corresponding pair of belts12to move along the rails13. According to this embodiment, each shuttle comprises a plurality of trolleys each carrying a wall14. Alternatively or in combination, each wall14has a cross-section in the shape of an inverted ‘L’ or ‘T’ or similar with one or two bases B, the latter being the support for the items. According to the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the bases B have a limited depth with respect to the width of the walls14, this is in particular adopted when the items processed are rigid and/or of box or square shape and therefore can be supported at opposing edges.

A pitch between the walls14is constant while the shuttle is loaded with items and is moving between the stop load section and the stop unload section and advantageously walls14are releasably connected to change the pitch and/or overall length of the shuttles9but it is also possible, according to an embodiment not shown, that the shuttles9have a predefined, non-adjustable length. Changing the pitch preserves and does not change the number of locations for loading items. For example, each wall with one or two bases B is connected to corresponding shuttles9so that the distance between them can be varied and, in this way, adapt to various items or types of packages to be handled. For example (FIG.4), each wall14has a pair of trolleys C arranged on corresponding transverse ends to engage in the rails13and coupling elements E for coupling with belts12. In this way, rails13are loaded by the weight of the shuttle both along upper branch10and along lower branch11and belts12are loaded substantially by traction. According to an embodiment, shuttle circuit9comprises a longitudinal pitch changing station14and, consequently, coupling elements5are releasable. For example, belts12are toothed and coupling elements E are fixed to the corresponding belt12by means of a spring-movable pin P (or two opposing pins as in the figure) which, in an engaged position, is transversely interposed between two adjacent teeth of the belt12and is maintained in the engaged position by means of a spring. When shuttles9are arranged for the variation of the pitch between the walls14, bases B of reduced depth, e.g. not exceeding 5 cm, is particularly useful: the bases B support the opposing edges of the items for various pitches of the walls14.

According to a preferred embodiment, the grouping station3is electronically controlled to automatically perform the variation of the pitch of the walls14as follows:Aligning the trolley with the movement path of a release actuator, e.g. a linear actuator A moving in a transverse direction, preferably perpendicular, to the direction of belt supply12Stopping the belts12in this alignment position and the actuator is moved to actuate spreaders D to disengage the carriage from the belt12, e.g. the spreaders D come into contact with the sidewalls of the element E and spread them apart, thereby retracting the pin from the belt12against the action of the corresponding spring. For example, the actuator A is a rotary motor with a gearbox R for the rotation of a shaft on which are mounted 6 pairs of spreaders D, one for each belt12and corresponding element E. When the shaft turns in one direction, the spreader(s) D open e.g. simultaneously and when the shaft turns in the opposite direction, the spreader(s) D close and the element(s) E close on the corresponding belt(s)12due to the action of its own spring;Moving the belts12by a predefined amount and then stop in a new position relative to the release actuator, this position establishing the new pitch between the walls14;Driving the release actuator to re-engage the form-fit coupling to the corresponding belt12e.g. the actuator is released and the pin returns to a new pair of teeth due to spring action

Preferably, the wall14is supported in a fixed position while the belts12are moved to obtain the new pitch. However, it is possible to operate differently, e.g. the belts12remain stationary and the wall14is moved by means of suitable actuators. Or both the belts and the walls are movable to reach the new position that defines the new pitch of the walls14.

For example, in order to precisely control the position of the belts12during the automatic pitch variation operation of the walls14, the grouping station3includes rotary electric motors (not shown) equipped with angular encoders to count the number of revolutions and measure portions of a revolution.

The step change sequence is performed in two alternatives: one for increasing the pitch (e.g. by disengaging the first wall14of the shuttle9and moving away from the following walls, translating the shuttle onto the second wall14and repeating) and another for reducing the pitch (e.g. by disengaging the second wall14and moving the following walls closer, translating the shuttle onto the second wall and repeating). InFIG.6is schematically shown (left) a sequence of operations for increasing the pitch between the walls14following the actuation of the actuator arranged at a position L along the circuit; and a sequence of operations (right) for reducing the pitch between the walls14.

Both sequences involve working on the walls of each shuttle9and on all shuttles.

When a loaded shuttle9reaches the discharge station4, the items are unloaded in a predefined number corresponding either to the exact number of items to be packed in the packaging station5or to an integer multiple. This can be performed in various ways and, according toFIG.1, the discharge station4comprises a linear actuator15and a multi-head tool16moved by the linear actuator15. The latter is arranged so that the movement of the tool16is parallel to the walls14and that, preferably, each head moves in the corresponding seat of the loaded shuttle9so as to laterally unload the items from the shuttle. For example, a thickness of the walls14does not exceed 5 millimetres. It should be noted that the shuttles9may be loaded from the feeding station with columns of items in integer multiples of the items to be packaged via the packaging station5. In such a case, the tool16is operated in such a way as to unload from the shuttles9the items in the exact packaging configuration. Therefore, it may happen that the shuttle(s)9stop at the discharge station4with seats only partially occupied by the items e.g. in the case where the tool16has unloaded only a part of the items loaded on the shuttle and is waiting for the process of these items to unload others while the shuttle(s) are stopped at the discharge station4.

The discharge station4further comprises an unloading platform17(FIG.7) on which the items unloaded from the shuttle9via the tool16are deposited, e.g. translated. Advantageously, the unloading platform17for pushing the items against a fixed wall For is movable in a vertical direction so as to stack the items in the case of packages with stacked items or in several rows. Alternatively, the movable unloading platform17may act as a buffer to perform subsequent bundling of the items according to the configuration and number of items as unloaded from the shuttle9.

In use, at least the following operational cases may occur:number of items M in a row of the pack prepared in station5equal to a submultiple of the N locations on shuttle9. In this case there will be a series of extractions of items from the shuttle that will be sufficient to complete a finite number of bundles (e.g. bundles of 3 or 2 in a row and shuttle with 6 seats, as in the figures);number M of items in the bundle smaller than the number N of locations in shuttle9but not submultiple (e.g. packs of 4 or 5). In this case, from the shuttle9a series of extractions of items in a number sufficient to complete a finite number of bundles is carried out. At least one article remains on the shuttle and to empty the shuttle in order to send it to receive a new load, a new loaded shuttle must be come side by side;number M of items in the pack greater than the number N of shuttle locations (in the case of 7 or 8 packs, for example). In this case an extraction of items is carried out simultaneously from two shuttles side by side.

Each of these cases is characterised by its own sequence of movements that allows the cycle to be replicated after a determined number of steps characteristic of the situation. In particular, on the basis of the longitudinal dimension of each seat selected as input data on the basis of the article to be processed, and of the number of items in the packaging station5, which also defines the geometry of the tool16e.g. the heads T are connected in a sliding manner to the crossbar so as to be able to adapt to the various steps of the walls14, the shuttle(s)9, before heading empty for a new load, are translated by a path having a length corresponding to the M items to be unloaded by means of the tool16. In particular, this length is equal to the pitch of the N seats multiplied by M in the case where one and only one item is loaded in each seat. By means of a control, for example, based on the ratio between M and N and the number of shuttles9operated on the circuit, it is possible to calculate:When a shuttle9is partially unloaded and it needs to be moved to unload it completelyHow many items are on board each shuttle9stopped in front of the platform17just before the implement is operated16When shuttle9is empty and heading for loading area C

It is also possible to manage the synchronisation of movement between the loading device8, the shuttles9and the tool16by setting appropriate predefined time intervals for action, possibly integrated with sensors that check for abnormal error conditions, for example by monitoring the torque e.g. the current absorbed by the loading device8that is unable to load on the shuttle9because the items is crooked; or by means of a photocell to detect if there is an obstacle in a trajectory that should be free.

Therefore, it is advantageous that the shuttles9and/or a shuttle position control system along the circuit are configured to achieve, if necessary, a configuration in which at least two shuttles are adjacent to each other (one loaded and the other loaded or partially loaded) and there are no significant pitch variations between the last seat of one shuttle and the first seat of the adjacent shuttle. In this way, when the tool16pulls the items onto the platform17, the unloaded items are substantially arranged in a row and in the exact number to be bundled at the station5. This is achieved, for example, by arranging the first and last walls14of each shuttle either flush or projecting so that, in the position of adjacent shuttles, the walls14are in contact or spaced a few millimetres apart, for example. Furthermore, the walls14themselves have a relatively small thickness, e.g. no more than 3 millimetres, so that the double thickness resulting from the flanking of two shuttles in the contact area is negligible with respect to the design clearances of the pitch between the seats and the size of the items to be processed.

FIG.6shows a measuring device20arranged between the grouping device3and the packaging station5. The measuring device20comprises a sensor for measuring a parameter representative of a dimension of the set of items to be packaged, e.g. bundled, so that an electronic control unit for controlling the packaging station5can adapt the opening of the package, e.g., by means of suitable actuators the so-called ‘bundle bag’ made from a tubular of one or more layers of polymeric material thermally welded after bundling, so as to avoid interference during bundling, in case the size of the items exceeds a first pre-defined threshold and based on the bundling opening of the bundle bag, or to have a slack package in case the detected size is below a second pre-defined threshold also based on the bagging opening. For example, the adaptation of the bundle bag opening by the actuators is, in the case of a detection exceeding the first threshold so as to indicate a bundle bag that is too small, to widen the bundle bag opening so as to avoid interference during bagging. If, on the other hand, the detection does not reach a second threshold so as to indicate a bundle bag that is too large, the bundle bag is tensioned so as to reduce the size of the package. In an embodiment, the detection is performed on a grouping of items to be packed, i.e. a bundle, and the adjustment of the pack via the control unit is carried out before the bundling of the detected grouping. In general, a tendency of the items to enlarge/decrease their size in the ordered pre-bundling configuration of the bundle e.g. due to environmental causes such as humidity level can also be detected, and thus the filling station5will also adapt the package with a time delay or phase shift with respect to the detected bundle.

According to the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the sensor comprises a conveyor21to move the group of items unloaded from the shuttle to the front of the bagging opening: the time spent in the transport is used to perform the adaptation of the bagging opening.

In addition, the sensor comprises a pair of paddles22, possibly shaped to adapt to the conformation of the grouping of items, moved by actuators to compress the grouping of items arranged on the platform17in the same direction of operation as the actuators of the station5to adjust the size of the bundle bag opening.

In particular, the paddles22are controlled by the electronic control unit to press on the grouping by reaching a pre-defined relative distance and the pressure or resistance that is applied by the grouping of items on the paddles upon reaching the pre-defined relative distance is indicative of the actual size, e.g. width, of the grouping of items, a parameter representative of the energy supply to the actuators of the paddles22required to reach the pre-defined relative distance is measured. For example, the actuators are electrically driven and the supply current is measured and the control unit compares the measured current with a stored reference table containing data to relate the measured current to the size of the grouping of items being bagged. Advantageously, according to the same principle as indicated above for the paddles22, the wall F is also instrumented to detect a force applied by the items P when pushed into the stop via the multi-head tool16at a predefined distance from the wall F. In this way it is possible to measure the group of items before bagging in two directions at right angles to each other.

FIG.9shows an example embodiment of packaging station5comprising a system for adjusting the bundle bag size on the basis of sensors21. In particular, the station5comprises: a hollow mandrel30having a folding shoulder40and defining a filling window; a sealing device60for forming a seal (not shown) of the longitudinal edges of the film50; a horizontally movable pusher70for pushing a group of items P into the mandrel30; a sealing and transverse cutting assembly80comprising two vertically movable elements108,208mounted on a horizontally movable primary carriage90; a conveyor100; a secondary carriage120carried by the primary carriage90. In use, station5functions as follows:

Reduce the cross-sectional area of the mandrel30to a cross-section smaller than that of item group P by known methods

Place the sealing device60in a position to seal the overlapping longitudinal edges of the film50while forming a new tubular bundle bag;

Arrange the elements108,208in a closed position on the head part of the new tubular film wrapper and on the end part of the tubular film wrapper of a finished package;transporting said new tubular casing, by movement of the primary shuttle9away from the mandrel30, and repeating the preceding steps so that the items placed inside the tubular casing by the mandrel30are tightly and adhesively wound due to elastic shrinkage of the film of the tubular casing.

In particular, when the sealing and cutting assembly80is in the end position away from the mandrel, the longitudinal sealing device60is transversely enlarged, the elements108,208are opened and the mandrel30is transversely enlarged, appropriately enlarging the portion of the tubular casing disposed outside the mandrel itself and the assembly of items P is slightly compressed to allow the assembly to enter the inside of the mandrel. In addition, prior to the step of closing the elements108,208that tighten the tubular film wrapper, the mandrel30is reduced transversely and the pusher70begins to move backwards so that a new packaging cycle can be started.

FIG.10illustrates a known example embodiment of a mandrel30provided with actuators with reference to a packaging machine employing a polymeric film e.g. a bagging machine. In particular, the mandrel30includes four angular brackets41aligned to define a bagging window within which the pusher70moves the bundle. The brackets41extend longitudinally in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the pusher and are peripherally wrapped by the polymeric film, which conforms according to the cross section of the mandrel30. The brackets41are mounted on movable supports along guides42preferably perpendicular to each other and, by means of actuators43, are movable to change the format e.g. when the composition of the bundle or the article to be packaged changes and/or to receive a signal via the sensor20and adjust their position even by a few millimetres so as to adapt to the detected size of the bundle.FIG.10further illustrates folding shoulders40which are partially overlapping to guide the tubular conformation of the bundle bag from a polymeric film. The shoulders40are movable by means of actuators44preferably dedicated to and coordinated with the actuators43so that the film surrounds the brackets41with the correct tension following a controlled change in the cross section of the mandrel30. The shoulders40are partially overlapping in order to bring two flaps of the film on top of each other and to allow sealing by means of the sealing device60. It is clear that further and numerous variations are possible for a skilled man; just as it is clear that in its practical implementation the shapes of the illustrated details may be different and the same may be replaced with technically equivalent elements.

For example, the bagging station may more generally be any packaging station in which it is possible to adapt the packaging within predefined limits to the geometric parameter detected by the energy sensors of the paddle actuators22.

Furthermore, by means of appropriate calculations, it is possible for the shuttles to have an equal number of locations, as in the figures, or each have their own number of locations N1, N2 etc.

For example, the multi-head tool16is configured to also discharge sideways from opposite side to the platform17, e.g. to a palletiser (not shown). The implement may also be mounted not on a linear actuator but on a motorised belt device to follow a circuit. Such a device is mounted above the shuttles and the multi-headed tool performs its own unloading stroke in a lower branch of the circuit.

According to an embodiment, the feeding station2is configured and programmed to load onto the shuttles9an entire multiple of the bundle or bundle to be packed at the station5. In such a case, the multi-head tool16is programmable to partially unload in the lateral direction the items on the platform and define a bundle to be packed. For example, the bundle may be processed e.g. by the paddles22while the shuttle(s)9are stationary at the unloading station4and, after the platform17has been cleared, the tool16unloads a new bundle onto the platform17. According to another embodiment, the platform17is movable in a vertical direction and the bundles are stacked vertically when they are unloaded by the shuttle(s)9. While the bundles are unloaded but the shuttle(s)9are still partially loaded considering the lateral direction, the shuttle(s) remain stationary at the unloading station4until they are completely unloaded.