DE202006001325U1 - Alignment station for alignment of individual goods installed on support surface has base element and pusher element provided with guide recesses each pair of which holds common guide element - Google Patents

Abstract

The alignment station for the alignment of individual goods (T1,T2) installed on a support surface has a plate-form base element (B) located above the support surface, and above the base element and parallel to it a plate-form pushing element (S) movable in the direction of the base element. The base element and pusher element have guide recesses (B 1,B 2,S 1,S 2), each pair of which holds a common guide element, and each guide element on the base element side facing the support surface has at least one gripper (G 1,G 2) to grip or align each product.

Description

The The present invention relates to an alignment station for targeted Aligning goods arranged on a support.

Especially in the food sector (cheese-making technology) is the need to arrange products on a support, to a food process step, such as a Maturing process, to subdue. It is important that it is important the goods or do not touch products, but a defined and spaced position on the support taking.

in the However, during the manufacturing process of the goods, it often happens that the goods be provided adjacent to each other so that their separate Orientation if necessary by hand or by suitable machine Effort is required.

task The invention is therefore an alignment station for targeted alignment individual products or goods to provide the structurally simple, efficient and so that cost-saving is usable.

The Task is solved by an alignment station according to claim 1.

The Invention is based on the recognition that by suitable arrangement two relatively movable elements with guided therein guide elements or arranged on these grippers automatic alignment easily handled by the grippers goods or products possible is.

According to the invention the goods, which are arranged on a support, from a starting position, in the goods themselves touch or be close to each other, be moved to an end position in the the goods have a predetermined distance from each other. The overlay extends this is essentially longitudinal a plane passing through two perpendicular directions X, Y should be defined.

The Alignment station includes above the support and parallel arranged thereon a substantially plate-shaped base element. Parallel to this base element and above it is further a arranged substantially also plate-shaped thrust element. The pusher is by an X-direction reversible alignment movement movable parallel to the base element. The basic element and the pusher have one Number of mutually associated guide recesses, which penetrate the elements substantially perpendicularly and typically in the form of oblong holes can be trained. The mutually associated guide recesses in the base element or above it lying thrust element are designed so that they are always overlap in one area, So in the direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane Z a through the Form the base element and the thrust element through opening.

According to the invention, this opening is independent of the thrust position of the pusher element relative to the base element, however, the through opening during the shifting of different sections of the mutually associated recesses in the base element or formed in the push element.

For example can in the base element, a first guide recess in the form of a slot be formed, which at an angle to the direction of movement X of the pusher runs. In the above arranged thrust element should as an associated guide recess also a slot may be formed, which, however, under another Angle is formed relative to the direction X. The two slots should be According to the invention in the Top view or cut in the direction Z, so that at the intersection a passing through the thrust element and the base member common opening arises. By moving the thrust element relative to the base element migrates along the Z-direction continuous common opening along both Führungsausnehmungen.

Farther is according to the invention for each pair of leadership recesses a common guiding element provided, which the above-described common opening in Z direction penetrates and on which a gripper is arranged. The gripper is used to grasp or align a specially him assigned product or Guts, which rests on the support.

A displacement of the thrust element in the X direction causes a suitably selected arrangement of the associated two Führungsausnehmungen movement of the guide member or gripper in the direction of Y. In particular, the appropriate selection of the associated guide recesses (as will be clear from the example of a figure) a forced operation of the respective Guide element in the X and Y direction, although the pusher is moved only in the X direction. This means that the goods moved by the grippers are moved apart at least in the Y direction, advantageously additionally also in the X direction, while they rest on the support. This will ensure that they do not touch each other and that the downstream production process can be carried out as desired.

According to the invention the alignment station a plurality of pairs of associated guide recesses or guided therein Elements with grippers on to several at the same time on the support overlying goods to align with each other or move away from each other by one measure.

A further advantageous embodiment of the Invention provides that the distance between two adjacent guide elements while the alignment movement of the pusher increases. This has according to the invention that of the grippers of the guide elements out Goods theirs Distance in both directions X, Y increase and thus forcibly do not touch can.

According to one further advantageous embodiment the invention is the alignment station in its initial position, in the goods So still contiguous are arranged on the support, so placed on the support that arranged on the guide elements Gripper intervene between the goods, to them in the alignment movement of the thrust element in its final position to move in which all goods spaced apart from each other. In this state, the alignment station advantageous be lifted or removed from the pad, so that the edition taken with the products and for further process steps can be used. The thrust element can be relative to the base element again be moved back to its original position, so that the grippers take a corresponding starting position. In this arrangement, the alignment station on the next edition be lowered, in which the products arranged touching each other are to this in the next Step by moving the pusher back to each other spacing.

A advantageous development of the invention provides that two Push elements are provided on a common base element, the simultaneously symmetrical to an imaginary, running in the Y direction Center line of the base member are movable. It means that a pusher is moved in the (positive) direction X, while the second thrust element in the opposite (negative) direction X is moved. By this moving apart of the two push elements are each acted upon by guide elements or grippers in the positive or negative X direction emotional. These symmetrical relative to the support and the base element Movement of the two push elements allows the symmetrical alignment the goods on the pad. Advantageously, this will continue to be the maximum Slideway of goods reduced, when using a single pusher element for the same Number of goods would be twice as high. This protects the products and also saves construction and movement space for the Pushing elements.

A further advantageous embodiment of the Invention provides that on each guide element in the area of respective guide recess the base element is arranged a sliding block. This sliding block will be in the guide recess of the base member and translationally constrained. He So it can not be a Z direction imaginary axis are rotated, but only in the longitudinal direction the Führungsaufnehmung be moved relative to the base member. The Kulissenstein contributes also the associated Gripper in such a way that the gripper the translational movements of the sliding block forcibly follows. By such a forced guidance becomes advantageously ensures that the gripper during the alignment movement can not rotate about an imaginary Z axis. This secures the precise translational movement of goods relative to the support or to the base element and provides the correct Alignment movement for every single good for sure.

A further advantageous embodiment of the Invention provides that for the execution movement the at least one thrust element is provided a servo drive. This allows - if necessary using a suitable control - advantageous the targeted Movement of the pusher in terms of speed and maximum distance.

By Such a drive or such a control can be the alignment station advantageous for different support elements use. Depending on the requirement for the distance to be achieved individual goods to each other and depending on the used pad, the at least one thrust element Advantageously be controlled so that the goods for the purpose of maximum Utilization of the area the edition or with regard to the minimum required distance the goods can be selectively moved with each other. This also means that the at least one pusher element is not forced over the maximum possible Way in the direction of X has to be moved, but already at one predeterminable position can be stopped within it.

The servo-motor drive also allows the movement of the individual grippers with a predeterminable speed and possibly gentle to the product or along a speed profile. Thus, while avoiding too high acceleration forces, the total shortest possible alignment movement can be preset at the same time ben. This protects the product and optimally shortens the alignment process.

Further advantageous embodiments emerge from the dependent claims.

following becomes an embodiment of the invention explained with reference to a figure example. From the figures show

1 a schematic plan view of an alignment station according to the invention before the alignment,

2 the alignment station according to 1 after the alignment process and

3 a schematic side view of a portion of the station according to 1 and 2 ,

In 1 is shown in a schematic plan view, the alignment device R in the starting position. Evident is a substantially rectangular base element B. Below the base element B (for better understanding visible drawn) several goods T are arranged, of which the goods T ₁ and T ₂ are considered separately below. All goods T are on a in 1 not shown pad A, wherein the goods T touch. The purpose of the alignment station is to move the goods relative to each other on the support A so that each good T comes to lie unaffected by adjacent goods.

Above the base element B two substantially similar pushers S are arranged, of which the left is to be considered in more detail below. The Schu belement S is relative to the base member B in the direction X back and forth. For each of the goods arranged below the pusher S goods in the thrust element S a guide recess S ₁ , S ₂ ... is arranged. The guide recesses S ₁ , S ₂ have substantially the shape of a slot.

Also, the base member has guide recesses B ₁ , B ₂ ..., wherein each recess is assigned to a below the base member B arranged Good G ₁ , G ₂ .... The guide recesses S ₁ , S ₂ ... and B ₁ , B ₂ ... are arranged as pairs so that they overlap and in the vertical Z-direction (in 1 into the plane of the drawing) form a common opening passing through the push element and the base element. If the thrust element S is moved in the direction X, then the common opening travels along the mutually corresponding guide recesses S ₁ / B ₁ or S ₂ / B ₂ .

In 3 is a schematic side view of the illustration according to 1 shown. In this case, the good T ₁ can be seen, which rests on the support A. The overlay A is limited to the right and left shown for clarity, but extends beyond.

Above the support A, the substantially plate-shaped base element B is shown. In particular, the slot-shaped guide recess B _{1 can be seen in section} .

Within the guide recess B ₁ slides a composite sliding block K ₁ , which is mounted relative to the base member B along the guide recess B ₁ translationally displaceable. The sliding block K ₁ carries the gripper G ₁ , which is provided for loading the Guts T ₁ .

Above the base element B, the pusher S is shown, which also has a substantially plate-like shape. The guide recess B ₁ associated with the guide recess S _{1 of} the pusher S is shown in the illustration 3 not to be recognized as a slot-shaped recess, as the slot extends substantially into the plane of the drawing, as well as out 1 can be seen.

The guide recesses S ₁ and B ₁ are penetrated by a common guide element F ₁ . This guide element F ₁ penetrates the common opening in the thrust element S or base element B, which is produced by superposition of the respective guide recess S ₁ or B ₁ . The guide element F ₁ further penetrates the sliding block K ₁ and is thus also connected to the gripper G ₁ .

If the pusher S moves in the direction X (in accordance with 3 to the left), the guide element F ₁ moves within the guide recess S _{1 of} the push element S and simultaneously within the guide recess B _{1 of} the base element B. The guide element F ₁ is thereby together with the sliding block K ₁ and the gripper G ₁ on the one hand in the direction X. , on the other hand also moved in the direction of Y.

This is especially in 2 to recognize where the goods T are shown in their final position. Due to the forced operation of in 2 Guide elements F, not shown, are the grippers G from their in 1 shown starting position in the end position according to 2 been moved. Correspondingly, the goods T acted on were also moved. As in 2 can be clearly seen, while all goods G have both in the direction of X and in the Y direction distance to the respective adjacent Good and are now contactless on the pad A.

The alignment movement of in 1 and 2 right arranged thrust element S is done in the opposite direction X, so that move the two pushers S in the alignment movement of each other.

Provided the alignment station after successful alignment of the goods G of The support A is lifted, this can with the newly aligned goods be removed.

Subsequently or during this time, all grippers G can also be reset by returning the push elements S in their starting position. Then the alignment station can be according to a further arrangement of adjoining goods according to 1 set up so that the grippers G intervene between the goods. As part of the alignment movement, the grippers G then again act on the goods T to be aligned and move them away from one another in the X and Y directions.

One not shown servo drive is for the movement of the pushers S provided. The servo drive advantageously allows accurate movement the pushers S and thus the goods T. In particular, a such servo drive the movement of the pushers to the required Minimize minimum, if thereby the spacing of the individual Goods satisfactory was achieved. The deflection of the pushers S on the maximum possible Route is then not required and is by using the Servo drive (in contrast, for example, to a pneumatic Drive) also not necessarily Completely passed through. Furthermore, can be advantageous by the servo drive also adjust the initial position of the pushers S individually. So can depending on the arrangement of the juxtaposed goods T the pushers in be taken the appropriate starting position, which is not necessarily with a design-related end position in one or the other direction X coincide got to. Also every position in between can - depending on the arrangement of the Goods T - as starting position be selected before the alignment movement, where appropriate, a suitable control is provided.

Claims (7)

Aligning station (R) for targeted alignment of individual, on a support (A) arranged goods (T ₁ , T ₂ , ...) from a starting position to an end position, wherein the support (A) is substantially in a mutually perpendicular to two A) with a above the support (A) and arranged parallel thereto, substantially plate-shaped base member (B), and b) with at least one above the base member and arranged parallel thereto, substantially plate-shaped Thrust element (S) which is displaceable parallel to the base element (B) by a reversible alignment movement taking place in the X direction, c) wherein the base element and the thrust element are connected via a number of guide recesses (B ₁ , S ₁ , B ₂ , S ₂ ; ...), and d) each pair of guide recesses (B ₁ -S ₁ , B ₂ -S ₂ , ...) receiving a common guide element (F ₁ , F ₂ ...), and e ) wherein each guide element (F ₁ , F ₂ ,...) On the side of the base element facing the support (A) at least one gripper (G ₁ , G ₂ ,...) For gripping or aligning a respective material (T ₁ , T ₂ , ...) is applied, and f) wherein at least a pair of the guide recesses (B ₁ -S ₁ , B ₂ -S ₂ , ...) is formed so that the associated guide member and its gripper during the alignment movement in a positive movement relative to the support (A) in the direction (Y) is positively guided. Alignment station (R) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one pair of guide recesses (B ₁ -S ₁ , B ₂ -S ₂ , ...) is formed so that the distance between two adjacent guide elements (F ₁ , F ₂ ...) during the alignment movement of the pusher (S) increases. Aligning station (R) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the alignment station on the in its initial position on the support (A) arranged goods (T ₁ , T ₂ , ...) is placed so that the on the guide elements ( F ₁ , F ₂ , ...) arranged gripper between the goods (T ₁ , T ₂ , ...) engage in order to move them in the alignment movement of the thrust element (S) in its end position. Alignment station (R) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that two thrust elements provided on a common base element which are simultaneously symmetrical to an imaginary, in Y-direction extending center line of the base member (B) are movable. Aligning station (R) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on each guide element (F ₁ , F ₂ , ...) in the region of the respective guide recess (B ₁ , B ₂ , ...) of the base element (B) Sliding block (K ₁ , K ₂ , ...) is arranged, which is guided positively guided by the guide recess relative to the base element, and the same translational movement of the associated gripper carries this. Aligning station (R) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for the alignment movement of the at least one Schubele ment (S) is provided a servo drive. Alignment station (R) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the alignment movement of the at least one push element (S) by means of a control unit in terms of speed and maximum distance can be specified.