DE102020209496A1 - Device for aligning disordered products with a roller guide - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) comprises a cylindrical container (5) for receiving the disordered products (3). The container (5) comprises a side wall (7) and a rotatable bottom (9) inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. The device (1) comprises a rotatable annular surface (15) for transporting the products (3) on the rotatable annular surface (15) between a transfer area (11) and a removal area (17). The rotatable annular surface (15) adjoins the rotatable base (9) radially on the outside and is located in the transfer area (17) at the height of the rotatable base (9). The device (1) comprises a discharge conveyor (19) which is connected to the rotatable annular surface (15) in the removal area (17). The device (1) comprises a guide (21) for products (3) transported on the rotatable annular surface (15). Between the transfer area (11) and the removal area (17), the guide (21) delimits a holding area for products (3) transported on the rotatable annular surface (15) radially outwards. The guide (21) is designed as a roller guide with roller elements (23).

Description

The present invention relates to aligning disordered products.

For example from the EP 3 118 143 B1 an apparatus for aligning food products is known, which comprises a bowl in which the products are in a disordered state. The bottom of the boiler comprises a turntable inclined relative to a horizontal plane. A lower annular part of the side wall of the boiler is designed to be rotatable and forms a shoulder on its upper side, on which products can come to rest. The shoulder is bounded on the outside by an upper ring part of the side wall of the kettle. In operation, the turntable and the lower ring portion of the side wall rotate. The rotation of the turntable creates a centrifugal force on the products in the bowl, causing them to cling to the wall of the bowl. The inclination of the turntable is such that the turntable is in a transfer area at the level of the upper edge of the lower annular part of the side wall. In this transfer area, the products are transferred from the turntable to the shoulder formed by the lower ring part of the side wall and are transported on the shoulder by the rotary movement of the lower ring part in the circumferential direction of the boiler. Here, too, a centrifugal force is created, which acts on the products to the outside. The upper ring part of the side wall serves as a guide for the products transported on the heel. In a removal area, a conveyor device connects tangentially to the heel and takes over the products conveyed on the heel. The products can be transferred linearly one after the other to the conveyor.

As described, the products are pressed against the upper annular part of the side wall of the kettle during transport on the heel due to a centrifugal force. Depending on the nature of the products, this can cause problems. For example, the products can stick to the upper ring part, which can lead to damage to the products. Certain products can also bounce back from the top ring portion of the sidewall, which can affect operation. Especially when processing dry products, the products can be damaged due to friction between the products conveyed on the heel and the upper part of the ring.

It is the object of the invention to show how disordered products can be aligned efficiently and without damage.

This object is achieved by the device according to claim 1 and the method according to claim 7, respectively. The dependent claims specify advantageous embodiments of the invention.

According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for aligning disordered products is provided. The device comprises a cylindrical container for receiving the disordered products. The container includes a side wall and a rotatable base. The rotatable floor is inclined from a horizontal plane. The device comprises a rotatable annular surface for transporting the products on the rotatable annular surface between a transfer area and a removal area. The rotatable annular surface adjoins the rotatable bottom radially on the outside. The rotatable annular surface is in the transfer area at the height of the rotatable floor. The device also includes a discharge conveyor. The discharge conveyor connects to the rotatable annular surface in the removal area. The device includes a guide for products transported on the rotatable annular surface. Between the transfer area and the removal area, the guide delimits a holding area for products transported on the rotatable annular surface radially outwards. The guide is designed as a roller guide with roller elements.

By designing the guide as a roller guide with roller elements, friction between the products transported on the rotatable annular surface and the guide can be reduced in comparison to a guide along a fixed guide surface. Due to the design of the guide as a roller guide with roller elements, there is rolling friction between the products and the guide. The risk of the products sticking to the guide and of damaging the products due to excessive friction between the products and the guide is reduced.

The roller elements can be barrel-shaped, cone-shaped, ellipsoidal or spherical, for example. Such roller elements are easy to implement and allow the products to be guided with little friction. Due to their geometry, barrel-shaped, cone-segment-shaped or ellipsoidal roller elements can support a movement of the products in the direction of rotation of the rotatable annular surface and limit mobility of the products perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the rotatable annular surface. By using spherical roller elements, the contact area between the products and the roller elements can be minimized.

The roller elements can each be rotatable about at least one axis of rotation. The axis of rotation can run at least substantially vertically. The axis of rotation can be inclined by a maximum of 30°, or by a maximum of 20°, or by a maximum of 15°, or by a maximum of 10°, or by a maximum of 5° relative to a vertical direction.

The roller elements can each be rotatable at least about an axis of rotation which is perpendicular to a direction of rotation of the rotatable annular surface.

The rotatable ring surface can be a flat surface. Alternatively, the rotary annular surface can have a height profile with respect to a radial direction with respect to the cylindrical container, in order to better define the positioning of the products. The rotatable annular surface can be a horizontal annular surface. A direction of rotation of the rotatable ring surface can lie in a horizontal plane.

The rotatable floor can be disc-shaped. The rotatable floor may be rotatable about an axis that extends through a center of the rotatable floor. The axis can be inclined from a vertical direction. In particular, an inclination angle of the axis with respect to a vertical direction can be in a range between 5° and 45°, or in a range between 5° and 35°, or in a range between 5° and 30°, or in a range between 10° and 30 degrees.

The side wall of the container can be a vertical side wall.

A large number of roller elements of the guide can follow one another between the transfer area and the removal area in order to provide a continuous roller guide between the transfer area and the removal area for products transported on the rotatable annular surface. In particular, a distance between adjacent roller elements seen in the direction of rotation of the rotatable ring surface can be at most 15 cm, or at most 12 cm, or at most 10 cm, or at most 8 cm, or at most 6 cm, or at most 4 cm, or at most 2 cm. A small distance between adjacent roller elements ensures that even short products can be guided reliably.

Preferably, the rotatable annular surface is formed by a surface of the side wall of the container. The rotatable annular surface and the side wall of the container can be driven together. In particular, the rotatable annular surface can be formed by an upwardly directed surface of the side wall of the container.

It goes without saying that the rotatable annular surface in the transfer area does not have to be exactly level with the rotatable base. The height of the rotatable annular surface in the transfer area and the height of the rotatable floor in the transfer area only have to match to the extent that the products can be transferred from the rotatable floor to the rotatable annular surface in the transfer area. For example, a height of the rotatable base and a height of the rotatable annular surface in the transfer area can differ from one another by a maximum of 2 cm, or by a maximum of 1 cm, or by a maximum of 0.5 cm.

The statement that the container is a cylindrical container refers to the general shape of the accommodation space defined by the container. It goes without saying that, for example, the outer contour of the container can be arbitrary, for example it can also have a rectangular or an irregular contour. It is also understood that the receiving space can have shape features such as projections or depressions.

According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a method for aligning disordered products. The disordered products are placed in a cylindrical container. The cylindrical container includes a side wall and a rotatable bottom inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. Rotating the rotatable base creates a centrifugal force that pushes the products in the container outwards against the side wall. The products are transferred to a rotating ring surface in a transfer area. The rotating annular surface adjoins the rotatable bottom radially on the outside. The products are transported on the rotatable ring surface from the transfer area to a removal area. In the removal area, the products are transferred to a discharge conveyor. During transport on the rotatable ring surface, the products are guided by a guide. The guide delimits a staging area for the products on the rotatable annular surface radially outwards. There is rolling friction between the products and the guide.

In the transfer area, the rotatable floor is preferably at the level of the rotatable annular surface.

The guide can be designed as a roller guide with roller elements.

The products can be, for example, elongated products. The products can be food products, such as sausages. The products can be dry products.

According to a further aspect, the invention relates to the use of a roller guide for guiding products that are acted upon by centrifugal force against the roller guide in a device for aligning the products.

As explained, the invention relates to a device for aligning unsorted products, a method for aligning unsorted products and the use of a roller guide. Features, explanations or advantages described with regard to each of these aspects can be applied to the other aspects. In particular, the device can be suitable, designed and/or configured for carrying out the method.

• 1 eine schematische Perspektivansicht einer Vorrichtung zum Ausrichten von ungeordneten Produkten gemäß einer Ausführungsform;
• 2 eine schematische Detailansicht einer Führung einer Vorrichtung zum Ausrichten von ungeordneten Produkten gemäß einer Ausführungsform mit tonnenförmigen Rollenelementen; und
• 3 schematische Darstellungen der Führung gemäß alternativen Ausführungsformen mit kegelsegmentförmigen, ellipsoiden oder kugelförmigen Rollenelementen.

In the following, the invention is explained in more detail using exemplary embodiments. while showing

• 1 a schematic perspective view of a device for aligning disordered products according to an embodiment;
• 2 a schematic detailed view of a guide of a device for aligning disordered products according to an embodiment with barrel-shaped roller elements; and
• 3 Schematic representations of the guide according to alternative embodiments with conical segment-shaped, ellipsoidal or spherical roller elements.

1 shows a schematic representation of a device 1 for aligning disordered products 3 according to one embodiment. Sausages are aligned as products 3 in the illustrated embodiment.

The device 1 comprises a cylindrical container 5 which receives the disordered products 3 . For example, the products 3 can be conveyed to the container 5 via a conveyor device (not shown) and dropped into the container 5 from above. The cylindrical container 5 includes a vertical side wall 7. The container 5 also includes a rotatable bottom 9. The side wall 7 and the bottom 9 together may define an interior of the container 5. The rotatable floor 9 is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. In operation, the rotatable floor 9 is rotated by means of a drive device. In the embodiment shown, the rotatable base 9 rotates in the direction of rotation 10. In addition, the side wall 7 also rotates in the embodiment shown in the direction of rotation 10. The side wall 7 preferably rotates at a different speed than the rotatable base 9 The number of revolutions of the side wall 7 can preferably be adjusted independently of one another.

The products 3 lying on the rotatable base 9 rotate together with the rotatable base 9. The rotation of the rotatable base 9 forces the products 3 outwards against the side wall 7 due to the centrifugal force. In a transfer area 11, the rotatable base 9 is at least essentially level with an upper edge 13 of the side wall 7. An upper surface of the side wall 7 is designed as an annular surface 15, which rotates together with the rest of the side wall 7. In the transfer area 11, the products 3 are transferred outwards from the rotating base 9 onto the rotating annular surface 15 due to the centrifugal force. The products 3 are conveyed further from the transfer area 11 into a removal area 17 on the rotating annular surface 15 . In the removal area 17 a discharge conveyor 19 connects tangentially to the rotatable ring surface 15 . The products 3 are transferred from the rotating annular surface 15 to the discharge conveyor 19 in the removal area 17 .

The products 3 are transported one behind the other and aligned along their longitudinal direction on the rotating ring surface 15 . The products 3 are aligned along their longitudinal direction in the device 1 by centrifugal force. The rotatable annular surface 15 is preferably designed so narrowly that several products 3 cannot lie next to one another (with respect to the radial direction of the container 5) on the annular surface 15. In this way it can be achieved that the products 3 are fed to the discharge conveyor 19 one after the other. The discharge conveyor 19 can supply the products 3, which are aligned and arranged one behind the other, to a subsequent processing step, for example a packaging step, in an orderly manner.

The device 1 comprises a guide 21, which at least between the transfer area 11 and the removal area 17 delimits a residence area for the products 3 on the annular surface 15 radially outwards (seen in relation to the container 5). During transport on the rotating annular surface 15, the products 3 are pressed outwards against the guide 21 due to the centrifugal force. The guide 21 is preferably stationary, ie it does not move with the rotatable annular surface 15 or the side wall 7 .

2 shows a detail view of the guide 21 between the transfer area 11 and the removal area 17. In order to reduce friction between the products 3 and the guide 21, the guide 21 is designed as a roller guide. The roller guide includes roller elements 23, which in 2 illustrated embodiment are barrel-shaped. There is rolling friction between the products 3 and the guide 21 due to the roller elements 23 . By configuring the guide 21 as a roller guide, the load 3 acting on the products on the rotating ring surface 15 during conveying and thus the probability of damage to the products 3 can be reduced. The roller elements 23 are preferably arranged one behind the other along the direction of rotation 10 of the annular surface 15 in order to provide a continuous roller guide for the products 3 . In the illustrated embodiment, the roller elements 23 are each rotatable about an axis of rotation 25 which runs vertically. However, it would also be conceivable for the axes of rotation 25 not to run exactly vertically, but rather to be inclined at a specific angle with respect to a vertical direction. The axes of rotation 25 are preferably perpendicular to the direction of rotation 10 of the rotatable annular surface 15.

3 shows alternative configurations of the roller elements 23. In part A of FIG 3 the roller elements 23 are designed as roller elements 23 in the shape of a segment of a cone. In Part B of 3 the roller elements 23 are designed as ellipsoidal roller elements 23 . The conical segment-shaped or ellipsoidal roller elements 23 are similar to the barrel-shaped roller elements 23 from 2 , each rotatable about an axis of rotation 25, which is at least substantially vertical and / or perpendicular to the direction of rotation 10 of the rotatable annular surface 15. In Part C of 3 the roller elements 23 are designed as spherical roller elements 23 . The spherical roller elements 23 can either, like the barrel-shaped, the conical segment-shaped or the ellipsoidal roller elements 23, only be rotatable about an axis of rotation 25 or be freely rotatable in ball sockets.

in the in 2 In the illustrated embodiment, a height limiting device 27 is provided, which at a certain point between the transfer area 11 and the removal area 17 delimits the space above the rotatable annular surface 15 at the top. The height limiting device 27 is configured to prevent a plurality of products 3 being conveyed one on top of the other on the rotatable ring surface 15 . In the embodiment shown, the height-limiting device 27 is designed as a metal sheet which protrudes from the outside into the space above the rotatable ring surface 15 .

In addition, in the in 2 In the illustrated embodiment, a width limiting device 29 is provided, which limits a passage width (along the radial direction of the container 5) at a specific position between the transfer area 11 and the removal area 17 and thus prevents a plurality of products 3 being conveyed next to one another on the rotatable annular surface 15. In the illustrated embodiment, the width limiting device 29 is provided in the form of a plate which, together with the guide 21, forms a tunnel over the rotatable ring surface 15.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• EP 3118143 B1 [0002]

Claims (10)

Device (1) for aligning disordered products (3), comprising: a cylindrical container (5) for receiving the disordered products (3), the container (5) comprising a side wall (7) and a rotatable bottom (9), which is inclined from a horizontal plane; wherein the device (1) comprises a rotatable annular surface (15) for transporting the products (3) on the rotatable annular surface (15) between a transfer area (11) and a removal area (17); wherein the rotatable annular surface (15) adjoins the rotatable base (9) radially on the outside and is located in the transfer area (17) at the level of the rotatable base (9); wherein the device (1) comprises a discharge conveyor (19) which adjoins the rotatable ring surface (15) in the removal area (17); wherein the device (1) comprises a guide (21) for products (3) transported on the rotatable annular surface (15), which transports a holding area for products on the rotatable annular surface (15) between the transfer area (11) and the removal area (17). Products (3) are limited radially outwards, characterized in that the guide (21) is designed as a roller guide with roller elements (23). device after claim 1 , wherein the roller elements (23) are barrel-shaped, cone-segment-shaped, ellipsoidal or spherical. device after claim 1 or 2 , wherein the roller elements (23) are each rotatable at least about an axis of rotation (25) which runs at least substantially vertically. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the roller elements (23) are each rotatable at least about an axis of rotation (25) which is perpendicular to a direction of rotation (10) of the rotatable annular surface (15). Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of roller elements (23) of the guide (21) adjoin one another between the transfer area (11) and the removal area (17) in order to create a to provide continuous roller guidance for products (3) transported on the rotatable annular surface (15). Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the rotatable annular surface (15) is formed by a surface of the side wall (7) of the container (5). Method for aligning disordered products (3), in which: the disordered products (3) are introduced into a cylindrical container (5) comprising a side wall (7) and a rotatable bottom (9) inclined with respect to a horizontal plane; rotating the rotatable bottom (9) generates a centrifugal force which pushes the products (3) in the container (5) outwards against the side wall (7); the products (3) are transferred in a transfer area (11) onto a rotating annular surface (15) which adjoins the rotating base (9) radially on the outside; the products (3) are transported on the rotatable annular surface (15) from the transfer area (11) into a removal area (17); the products (3) in the removal area (17) are transferred to a discharge conveyor (19); and the products (3) are guided during transport on the rotatable annular surface (15) by means of a guide (21) delimiting a holding area for the products (3) on the rotatable annular surface (15) radially outwards, characterized in that between the products (3) and the guide (21) there is rolling friction. procedure after claim 7 , wherein the rotatable base (9) in the transfer area (11) is at the level of the rotatable annular surface (15). procedure after claim 7 or 8th , wherein the guide (21) is designed as a roller guide with roller elements (23). Use of a roller guide (21) for guiding products (3), which are acted upon by a centrifugal force against the roller guide, in a device (1) for aligning the products (3).

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