EP0050083B1 - Apparatus for grouping unit-containers - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for grouping unitary dose containers which have polygonal collars receives such containers from a supply magazine and directs them by a first transfer device onto mandrels on plates carried by a rotating drum. The containers are carried by the drum to a second station where heads of a joining device join adjacent edges of collars of selected containers. Subsequently, the drum is further rotated for carrying the joined containers to another station where a second transfer device transfers the joined containers onto a receiving device.

Description

The present invention relates to the grouping of unit dose containers, these containers being for example intended to contain dairy products, for example yogurt or the like.

Document FR-A-2,432,975 describes a method of grouping unit dose containers, each container being terminated at its upper part by a flange whose outer contour is polygonal, this method comprising the assembly of two sides edge to edge by using part of the two flanges as a reserve of material. This document also describes the formation of lips at the edge of the flanges. This process is such that the assembly can be carried out by thermocompression, by ultrasonic welding, or by means of an adhesive.

Such a method is particularly advantageous because it allows the grouping by two, three, four or six for example of individual containers which can carry an impression on their entire periphery. In this way, this decoration is attractive and gives a very good advertising impact.

Document DE-B-1,248,537 also discloses a device for folding and shaping packaging cutouts, in particular allowing the introduction of the objects to be packaged into the packaging and the evacuation of completed packages. In this document, it is a question of grouping separate objects by means of a preformed packaging whereas the invention has for object the grouping of the objects themselves (which are in particular containers).

The present invention relates to an apparatus for grouping unit dose containers, implementing the method described in document FR-A-2,432,975 which constitutes an improvement.

• - un tambour destiné à tourner autour d'un axe et portant plusieurs plaques semblables, parallèles à l'axe et sensiblement perpendiculaires à une direction radiale, les plaques étant régulièrement réparties autour du tambour si bien que deux plaques consécutives sont séparées par un angle déterminé, chaque plaque étant munie de plusieurs dispositifs de maintien individuel d'un récipient,
• - un dispositif d'entraînement du tambour en rotation par pas égaux à l'angle déterminé, si bien que les plaques du tambour se trouvent toujours en face de l'un de plusieurs postes de travail,
• - un premier dispositif de transfert placé à un premier poste de travail et destiné à transférer les récipients séparés d'une réserve aux dispositifs de maintien de la plaque qui se trouve au premier poste de travail,
• - un dispositif de groupage placé à un second poste de travail et destiné à assembler certains côtés adjacents des collerettes de certains récipients adjacents au moins, et
• - un second dispositif de transfert placé à un troisième poste de travail et destiné à transférer les récipients, après groupage, à une seconde réserve.

More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus for grouping unit dose containers provided with a polygonal flange, by assembling adjacent sides of different containers, comprising

• - a drum intended to rotate around an axis and carrying several similar plates, parallel to the axis and substantially perpendicular to a radial direction, the plates being regularly distributed around the drum so that two consecutive plates are separated by a determined angle , each plate being provided with several individual holding devices for a container,
• - a device for driving the drum in rotation in steps equal to the determined angle, so that the drum plates are always in front of one of several work stations,
• a first transfer device placed at a first work station and intended to transfer the containers separated from a reserve to the devices for holding the plate which is located at the first work station,
• a grouping device placed at a second work station and intended to assemble certain adjacent sides of the flanges of at least certain adjacent containers, and
• - a second transfer device placed at a third work station and intended to transfer the containers, after grouping, to a second reserve.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the devices for individually holding the containers of the plates each comprise an elastic membrane intended to cooperate with the internal surface of a container, near the flange. The elastic membrane is advantageously in the form of a half-torus with an external diameter normally smaller than that of the internal surface of the containers, and it is mounted between two discs with which it delimits a chamber; when the chamber is emptied of the air it contains, the two discs come together and push outwards the membrane which can then come to bear against the internal surface of a container.

It is advantageous that at least one of the first and second transfer devices comprises a container support plate, intended to oscillate between a first position for taking up containers and a second position for placing containers in front of the device for hold, the turntable about 90 ° between these two positions; the plates can be moved radially so that the plate which is at the first work station moves away from the axis of the drum and houses these holding devices in the containers. For example, the tray of the transfer device is mounted on movable rods each in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum; these rods are fixed to a guide shaft parallel to the axis of the drum and whose movement is guided by a cam surface formed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum. The rods can also slide in a pivoting shaft, parallel to the axis of the drum, the oscillation of the plate being controlled by a second driven pivoting shaft which protrudes from a movable arm in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum, this arm being intended to slide freely in an orifice of the guide shaft but being forced to rotate with the second pivoting shaft.

The grouping device advantageously comprises a movable plate between a position for releasing the containers and a working position; this tray carries several assembly devices which can be moved individually between two positions such that, when the grouping device is in its working position, an assembly device ensures an assembly of containers when it is in its first position and does not ensure not such an assembly when it is in its second position. The joining devices are for example heating and compression welding devices, devices ultrasonic welding devices or bonding devices.

Container reserves can be either stores or carriers.

In an advantageous embodiment, the apparatus comprises four work stations, and a device for printing a code is placed at one of these stations.

• la figure 1 est une perspective avec des parties arrachées, représentant deux postes de travail d'un appareil selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une coupe transversale schématique de l'appareil de la figure,
• la figure 3 est une coupe à plus grande échelle d'un dispositif de maintien de récipients unitaires,
• la figure 4 est analogue à la figure 2 mais représente une variante d'appareil selon l'invention ; et
• les figures 5 à 8 sont des vues en plan de récipients groupés formés par mise en oeuvre de l'appareil selon l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view with parts cut away, representing two work stations of an apparatus according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-section of the apparatus of the figure,
• FIG. 3 is a section on a larger scale of a device for holding unit containers,
• Figure 4 is similar to Figure 2 but shows a variant of apparatus according to the invention; and
• Figures 5 to 8 are plan views of grouped containers formed by using the apparatus according to the invention.

The apparatus according to the invention is intended for grouping unit dose containers and, in the description which follows, the example of container considered is a cup intended to contain yogurt. Each container, as shown in Figure 3, bearing the general reference 10, comprises a frustoconical body 12 closed by a bottom 14. At the end opposite the bottom, the cup is wide open and is bordered by a flange 16. The flange has a polygonal, square shape in the case considered as shown in Figure 1, the corners of the flange being rounded, however.

We now consider the device itself. The central part of the device consists of a drum 18 mounted on an axis 20. The latter which is driven by a suitable geared motor group, spins in bearings 22 carried by the frame of the machine. This axis 20 is secured to the drum, for example by keying (not shown).

The drum 18 comprises two end discs 24 and 26 which carry several support plates 28, four in the example considered. These plates are arranged at 90 ° relative to each other, that is to say that they are distributed regularly at the circumference of the discs 24 and 26. Each plate 28 is integral with a bar 30 fitted with sockets balls intended to slide in grooves 32. formed in discs 24 and 26. Cams, not shown, control the radial sliding of the bars 32 and thus of the plates 28, when these are located at a transfer station, as described in the continued with reference to the operation of the device.

Each plate 28 carries several mandrels 34 constituting devices for holding buckets 12. These mandrels are shown in more detail in FIG. 3. In this one, it is noted that the plate 28 has a housing which contains a disc 36 having an orifice central 38 which communicates with an orifice 40 in the plate 28. A second solid disc 42 is arranged opposite the first disc 36 and a membrane 44 in the form of a half-torus, as shown in FIG. 3, has its internal edges which are are housed in grooves formed in the two discs 36 and 42, in a sealed manner. The membrane 44 defines with the two disks a chamber 46. In the normal state or when compressed air is introduced into the chamber 44, the external surface 48 of the membrane has a diameter which is less than or equal to that of the opening of the buckets 10. On the contrary, when the air contained by the chamber 46 is emptied through the orifices or channels 38 and 40, the disc 42 is pulled towards the disc 36 so that the membrane is pushed back towards the exterior and squeezes the internal surface of the container, near the flange, by its external surface 48. Thus, the alternative transmission of compressed air or at atmospheric pressure and vacuum to the chamber 46 ensures the release or the maintenance of the container 10 on the device 34.

As indicated in FIG. 1, each plate 28 has several mandrels 34, twelve in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 also represents a store 50 of individual containers of unit dose, stacked as indicated in FIG. 1 in twelve stacks or any other multiplied number of packs to be produced (number corresponding to the number of mandrels of the plates 28), the store being formed in an orifice of a plate 52 which carries rods 54 for guiding the stacks of containers. This arrangement appears more clearly in FIG. 2 _: It should be noted that the containers are. normally kept in the store by a device which holds the lower containers,

We now consider the transfer device which introduces the containers from the magazine 50 into the apparatus according to the invention. This transfer device comprises a plate 56 which, as indicated by the reference 58 in FIG. 2, includes a device intended to retain the cups 10. They may, for example, be simple suction cups. The plate 56 is mounted on rods 60 which pass through holes 62 of a guide shaft 64. This shaft 64 is parallel to the shaft 20 which carries the drum and, at at least one of its ends, it is mounted in a branch of a stirrup 66, by means of a bearing 67. The another branch of the stirrup 66 carries an axis 68 aligned with the shaft 64 so that, in the remainder of this specification and in the claims, the expression “guide shaft designates the assembly formed by the shaft 64 and the axis 68. The latter carries a roller 70 intended to roll on a cam surface 72 formed in a plate 74 fixed to the frame and disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis 20 of the drum. The stirrup 66 has, in its middle part, a pad 76 allowing the sliding of an arm 78 fixed by a clamp 80 to a driven pivoting shaft 82. This shaft 82 can pivot in bearings 85 fixed on the frame. It is controlled by a drive device shown in Figure 2. A pinion 83 is integral with the shaft 82 on which it is for example keyed, and it cooperates with the teeth of a rack 84 controlled by the drive mechanism of the device . The rods 60 can also slide with respect to another pivoting shaft 86, in bearings 88 housed in holes in this shaft. The tree 86 journals in bearings 90 carried by the frame.

We now consider the operation of this transfer device. As shown in Figure 2, in an initial position, the rack 84 is controlled in the position shown in Figure 2 so that the arm 78 has the position shown in solid lines in this Figure 2. In this position, the roller 70 is located at the upper end of the cam 72 and the rods 60 are vertical. The tray 56 is then located just below the stack of cups 10 of the magazine 50. The lower cups are then held on the tray 56 by suction and the rack 84 begins to rise. It rotates the pinion 83 clockwise in Figure 2 so that the arm 78 lowers. As the roller 70 then moves in the substantially vertical part of the cam, the guide shaft 64 lowers in a vertical plane and also lowers the buckets 10 which are thus separated from the bottom of the stacks of the magazine 50 since a device holds the following containers. When the buckets 10 are released from the bottom of the magazine 50, the cam arrives in its inclined intermediate part so that the rods 60 pivot around the axis of the shaft 86 and lower in a horizontal position, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. The roller 70 then reaches the part of the cam surface 72 which is substantially horizontal so that the continued rotation of the driven shaft 82 causes the plate 56 to advance towards the mandrels 34, perpendicular to the tray 28. In this way, the cups 10 carried by the plate 56 are fitted onto the mandrels which can then be connected to a vacuum source so that they hold the cups. The suction of the plate 56 is then eliminated so that the buckets remain on the mandrels 34 while the plate 56 departs and returns to the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, during a sequence of operations opposite to that just described.

It should be noted that the horizontal part of the cam surface 72 allows the movement of the plate 56 so that it comes to place the cups on the mandrels 34. This characteristic is not essential because, when the plate 28 can slide in the grooves 32 as indicated above, it is the plate 28 which can advance to accommodate the mandrels 34 in the buckets. The apparatus may include one and / or the other of these characteristics although both have been described.

We now consider, with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the constitution of the container grouping device. This comprises a plate 92 placed above the second work station B (the four work stations of the machine shown are identified by the references A, B, C and D). This plate 92 can slide on rods 93 and it carries rods 94, the upper end of which is secured to jacks 96 of a suitable type. The lower end of each rod 94 carries a welding comb 98. These combs are for example heated by heating rods connected to a temperature regulator or they can be vibratory devices supplied by an ultrasonic transmitter. It should be noted in Figure 1 that the device comprises on the one hand combs substantially parallel to the axis of the shaft 20 of the drum and on the other hand combs substantially perpendicular to this axis. Each comb is intended to link the flanges of two of the adjacent cups 10 carried by the plate 28.

We now consider the operation of this grouping device. When the drum 18 rotates, the plate 92 is in the high position so that all the combs allow the passage of the buckets 10 carried by the plate 28. When the drum stops, the plate 92 is lowered and the welding devices or bonding carried by the combs 98 come to assemble the corresponding sides of the flanges of two adjacent cups 10. Then, the plate 92 rises and the drum can rotate one step.

It should be noted that various assemblies of containers can be made on the device. For example, Figures 5 to 8 show assemblies of two, three, four and six containers respectively. In these figures, the references 102 designate zones in which the sides of the flanges are not connected while the references 104 designate the connection zones of the sides of the flanges. It is therefore noted in these Figures 5 to 8 that only some of the combs 98 must ensure the connection of two adjacent sides. The cylinders 96 allow this arrangement. In fact, they allow the combs 98 to rise sufficiently, which must not ensure welding so that these combs do not come into contact with the flanges. In this way, only certain welds are made, and the assemblies can be of the desired type, FIGS. 5 to 8 representing nonlimiting examples.

When the drum rotates 90 °, the grouped buckets move from position B to position C in Figure 2. It is not necessary that an operation be performed at this workstation. However, there is shown a printing device 106 for marking the bottom of the cups with an automatic identification code, such as that known under the name of "Gencod or any other." However, this is a purely possible characteristic, this station being able to simply allow the cooling of the welds of the flanges when they have been assembled by heating.

When the drum turns an additional step, the plate 28 passes from station C to station D to which the buckets must be unloaded. FIG. 2 shows an example of a machine intended to receive the buckets. This machine identified by the reference 108 comprises a chain 110 carrying trays 112 having cells 114 each allowing the housing of a bucket. A device 116 is movable vertically so that, when it rises, it places suction cups 118 carried by rods 120, in contact with the bottom of the buckets 10. The device 116 then lowers and thus guides the buckets in the cells 114.

We now consider the overall operation of the device according to the invention, with reference to Figure 2. We consider an initial position in which the transfer device occupies the position shown in solid lines in Figure 2, the grouping device is in its high position indicated in FIG. 2, the printing device has moved to the left in FIG. 2, and the device 116 has lowered below the plates 112. The drum 18 rotates by a quarter of turn. It has empty chucks in position A and chucks with cups in the other three positions. When the drum stops, the devices of the different work stations operate simultaneously. The transfer device passes from the position indicated in solid lines to the position indicated in broken lines, places the buckets on the mandrels and returns to the position represented in solid lines. The welding device lowers, assembles the flanges of the buckets and rises. The printing device comes into contact with the bottoms of the cups, carries the appropriate code and departs. The second transfer device 116 rises, grabs the cups placed in front of it and descends by placing the cups in the cells 114, then it releases these cups and moves down. At this time, the plates 28 of stations A, B and C carry buckets while the plate of station D does not. The drum rotates a quarter of a turn anti-clockwise in FIG. 2. In this way, the plate devoid of buckets is at station A. The cycle indicated above then begins again.

Of course, a suitable drive device ensures the synchronization of these movements. This drive device comprises, in one embodiment of the invention, a variable speed drive driving a Maltese cross with four positions which controls the rotation of the drum. The same device controls the displacement in translation of the rack 84, of the plate 92, of the printing device 106 if necessary, and of the second transfer device 116. Such drive devices are well known to those skilled in the art and are not described in detail.

FIG. 4 represents a variant in which the only operation carried out is the assembly of the sides of the flanges so that the second transfer device is placed at station C. This second transfer device is completely similar to the first, and we do not not describe it in detail. The references of its elements are identical to those of the corresponding elements of the first transfer device, followed by the sign '. The operation is the opposite of that described above, the grouped containers being finally stacked one inside the other, in a magazine 50 '. Of course, at station D, the mandrels do not carry any buckets.

Claims (9)

1. Apparatus for grouping unit-containers provided with a polygonal flange, by assembly of adjacent sides of different containers, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises :

- a drum 18 adapted to rotade about a shaft 20 and bearing a plurality of similar plates 28, parallel to the shaft and substantially perpendicular to a radial direction, the plates being regularly distributed about the drum so that two consecutive plates are separated by a determined angle, each plate being provided with a plurality of devices 34 for individually holding a container 10,

- a device for driving the drum in rotation by steps equal to the determined angle, so that the plates 28 of the drum are always opposite one of a plurality of work stations A, B, C, D,

- a first transfer device placed at a first work station A and adapted to transfer the separate containers 10 of a reserve 50 to the devices 34 for holding the plate which is located at the first work station,

- a grouping device placed at a second work station B and adapted to assemble certain adjacent sides of the flanges 16 of certain adjacent containers at least, and

- a second transfer device placed at a third work station D and adapted to transfer the containers, after grouping, to a second reserve.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the devices 34 of plates 28 for individually holding containers each comprise an elastic membrane 44 adapted to cooperate with the inner surface of the containers in the vicinity of the flange 16.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that the elastic membrane 44 has the form of a half-torus of diameter normally less than that of the opening of the containers 10, and it is mounted between two discs 36, 42 with which it defines a chamber 46 so that, when the chamber is emptied of the air that it contains, the two discs move towards each other and push outwardly the membrane which may then abut against the inner surface of a container.

4. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one of the first and second transfer devices comprises a plate 56 for supporting containers, adapted to oscillate between a first position for gripping containers and a second position for positioning containers opposite the holding devices 34, the plate 56 rotating through about 90° between these two positions.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that the plate 56 of the transfer device is mounted on rods 60 each mobile in a plane perpendicular to the axis 20 of the drum, the rods being fixed to a guide shaft 64 parallel to the axis of the drum and whose displacement is guided by a cam surface 72 disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum, the rods 60 being in addition adapted to slide in a pivoting shaft 86, parallel to the axis of the drum, the oscillation of the plate being controlled by a second driven pivoting shaft 82 from which projects an arm 78 mobile in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the drum, said arm 78 being adapted to slide directly in an orifice in the guide shaft 64 when it pivots under the control of the second pivoting shaft 82.

6. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the grouping device comprises a plate 92 mobile between a position of disengagement of the containers and a work position, the plate bearing a plurality of assembly devices 98 displaceable individually between two positions such that, when the grouping device is in its work position, an assembly device ensures an assembly of containers when it is in its first position and does not ensure assembly when it is in its second position.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, characterized in that the assembly devices 98 of the grouping device are chosen from the group which comprises devices for welding by heat and compression, ultrasonic welding devices, and gluing devices.

8. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the reserves of containers comprise magazines 50 and conveyors 110, 112.

9. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that comprises at least four work stations A, B, C, D and it further comprises a printing device 106 placed at one of these stations.

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