DE4332435A1 - Device for changing the shape of a stream of articles - Google Patents

Abstract

A stream of articles is first narrowed, then widened again and narrowed once more. During the second narrowing, a compaction of the stream of articles takes place to form a densely packed formation which cannot be compacted any further.

Description

The invention relates to a device according to the preamble of Claim 1.

The technical problem to be solved by the invention is to reshape a multi-row stream of objects that the object flow after the transformation in the n Rows of the closest possible formation.

See known devices for reshaping the stream of objects Guide elements that are arranged so that the for Item stream available within the guide elements standing space decreases continuously until it corresponds to the space, that an n-row object stream needs when it is in densest formation. In this formation they are Objects arranged in several adjacent rows, whereby the individual rows are arranged somewhat offset. Man in technical jargon this arrangement is also known as a ball packing.

A disadvantage of known devices is that in Flow of objects while being narrowed, a dynamic pressure arises.

As the stream of articles is narrowed, form stochastically distributed gaps between the objects. This leaves explain themselves as follows: Due to the dynamic pressure, the Sometimes objects are pressed together so that Force relationships occur that are similar to those in one Wall arches composed of individual stones exist: Several objects guide them through the dynamic pressure on them acting force from the side and form a kind "Arch construction" between the guide elements. In the Neighborhood of this "arch" can exist gaps that are not more filled up by moving objects, because the Objects that are next to the gap and would be predestined to move into the gap within of the bow have found a stable position.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device for To reshape the stream of objects in which no Back pressure immediately before the shaping of the object flow into the densest packed for an n-row stream of objects Formation occurs.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

Further developments of the invention and special refinements are the subject of the subclaims.

Below is a possible embodiment of the Invention based on the list of reference symbols and a drawing explained in more detail.

Fig. 1 shows a conveyor 1 on which an article stream 2 between the guide members 3 in the direction of arrow A is transported. The distance between the guide elements 3 on both sides varies in the course of the conveying path.

The space available for the object stream 2 on the conveyor 1 can be divided into several areas: in a first area 4 , the guide elements 3 run parallel to one another.

In the subsequent second area 5 , the guide elements 3 approach each other, the space available for the object stream 2 is reduced, the object stream 2 is compressed. There is a strong back pressure which is exerted on the guide elements 3 by the subsequent stream of articles 2 . There are shifts in the entire stream of objects 2 . In this phase the "arches" mentioned above can form. Such a sheet is provided in the drawing with the reference number 2 a. The forces acting in the arc are shown in more detail in the detailed illustration in FIG. 2.

In the third area 6 , the space available for the object flow increases again. In this third area, the flow of articles 2 can loosen up, an arc, for example the arc 2 a, would dissolve in this area 6 , because the arc 2 a would no longer be supported on the guide elements 3 , since the distance between the guide elements 3 becomes larger . After this expansion, the stream of articles 2 is now transported by the conveyor 1 in a relatively relatively loose formation. Back pressure no longer works.

This shows a particular advantage of the invention: Regardless of how large the dynamic pressure is in the second area 5 , there is no more dynamic pressure in the third area 6 and the objects are only transported by the sliding friction prevailing between the surface of the conveyor 1 and the surface of the objects .

After this loosening, the object stream has to be compressed again, which takes place in the fourth region 7 . This compression can now largely take place without pressure, since the stream of articles 2 is supplied loosely. The constriction of the second area 5 also limits the number of objects conveyed, which prevents the formation of a jam in the fourth area 7 .

The loose entry of the objects into the compression area 7 also allows the objects to be moved laterally to one another. An object is laterally shifted when this object strikes another object in the object stream. The objects are rotationally symmetrical and are transported by the conveyor 1 via sliding friction. When an object is pushed onto another object by the conveyor 2 , the objects slide past one another on their round surfaces and thus, in addition to their movement, also lead to a lateral movement with respect to the conveying direction. However, gliding sideways is only possible for others if no additional dynamic pressure acts on the objects that are moving sideways in this phase. Thus, in the fourth area 7, the stream of objects 2 is compressed without new arches being able to be built up from several objects between the guide elements 3 .

In the fifth area 8 , the guide elements 3 again run parallel to one another. In the present example, the distance between the guide elements 3 attached on both sides of the object stream 2 is chosen so that there is space for six rows of objects in a densely packed formation.

In principle, it is of course also possible to convert the stream of objects to formations with a different number of rows, the decisive factor here being that there is no back pressure in the fourth region 7 .

Reference list

1 sponsor
2 Item stream
2 a bridge of objects
3 guide element
4 first area
5 second area
6 third area
7 fourth area
8 fifth area

Claims (5)

1. Device for reshaping a stream of objects, rotationally symmetrical, having a footprint in a stream of objects, with

• a conveyor which is in frictional contact with the standing surfaces of the objects and which transports the objects along a conveyor path in the conveying direction,
• - With guide elements attached on both sides of the article flow, which laterally limit the article flow along the conveying path

characterized in that

• - the distance between the guide elements ( 3 ) along the conveyor line, starting from a predetermined amount, is initially constant in a first region ( 4 ) of the conveyor line,
• - is decreasing in a second area ( 5 ) of the conveyor line compared to the first area ( 4 ),
• - in a third area ( 6 ) of the conveyor line again increases compared to the second area ( 5 ),
• - In a fourth area ( 7 ) of the conveyor line is again decreasing compared to the third area ( 6 ) and
• - Is constant again in a fifth area ( 8 ).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that

• - The maximum distance of the guide elements ( 3 ) arranged on both sides of the object stream ( 2 ) within the third area exceeds the predetermined amount.

3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that

• - the distance between the both sides of the article stream (2) arranged guide elements (3) within the fifth region (8) approximately corresponds to the width that is an n reihiger item stream (2) is required in the densest formation.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

• - The predetermined amount corresponds approximately to the width that the n-row object stream ( 2 ) requires in the densest formation.