EP0204606B1 - Apparatus for erecting, filling and paletising containers - Google Patents

Apparatus for erecting, filling and paletising containers Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0204606B1
EP0204606B1 EP86401074A EP86401074A EP0204606B1 EP 0204606 B1 EP0204606 B1 EP 0204606B1 EP 86401074 A EP86401074 A EP 86401074A EP 86401074 A EP86401074 A EP 86401074A EP 0204606 B1 EP0204606 B1 EP 0204606B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
station
container
palletisation
pallet
filling
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP86401074A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0204606A1 (en
Inventor
Charles Cathala
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Continentale Du Carton Ondule Socar SA Ste
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Continentale Du Carton Ondule Socar SA Ste
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Priority to AT86401074T priority Critical patent/ATE34138T1/en
Publication of EP0204606A1 publication Critical patent/EP0204606A1/en
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Publication of EP0204606B1 publication Critical patent/EP0204606B1/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
    • B65B5/02—Machines characterised by incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles
    • B65B5/024—Machines characterised by incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles for making containers from preformed blanks

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a modular installation for carrying out the volume of large capacity containers, their filling and their positioning on pallets. It applies more particularly to the container of the type described in US Patent No. 3,072,314.
  • This known container comprises a parallelepipedic box of square or rectangular section, open at its two ends, and whose bottom bottom is reduced to four peripheral flaps hinging on the side walls of the container, a pallet formed by an empty frame internally on which the box rests by said peripheral flaps and a wooden rack with a surface slightly smaller than the inside section of the box, and which constitutes a movable bottom for the container.
  • This patent also describes an installation corresponding to the preamble of claim 1 and a method of filling such a container, which consists in lifting said rack by means of a piston passing through the opening of the pallet and the hollow bottom of the body, until bringing it substantially to the level of the upper opening of the body, to have a first layer of products on the rack, to lower the piston from the height of said layer of products, to load a second layer at constant level and continue until the rack comes to rest on the peripheral flaps.
  • the present invention relates to an installation for the volume setting and filling at constant level of a container of the aforementioned type, and which allows the use of pallets or any handling support, standard or not commercially available, in place of said feet. , and replace the wooden rack forming the bottom of the container with a simple cardboard plate or any other suitable material.
  • the bottom plate of the container is always supported by its entire surface, since during filling, it rests on the flat piston elements in the expanded position, and when it rests on the bottom flaps, its periphery is supported by the free rollers and its central part rests on the plane formed by the retracted flat piston elements. It is the same during the transfer of the full container between the filling station and the palletizing station since the bottom slides on the horizontal transfer plate. It is therefore not necessary to produce the bottom plate in a material which is particularly resistant to bending, as was the case for the racks of the prior art. On the contrary, simple cardboard plates or the like can be used.
  • the installation seen in plan has the shape of a T, formed of two perpendicular processing chains, having in common the palletizing station, the first processing chain comprising in series the training station, the station filling station and the palletizing station, and the second chain comprising the supply station, the palletizing station and the evacuation station.
  • Said means for keeping the container in shape comprises upper and lateral longitudinal guides which bear respectively on the longitudinal edges of the upper opening of the container and on the longitudinal walls of the latter, a front plate of transverse direction relative to the direction movement of the conveyor so as to serve as a stop for the front wall of the container, and a lock pressing on the rear wall of the container so as to prevent it from resuming a flattened shape.
  • Said front plate is articulated horizontally around a transverse axis between a position where it is vertical and serves as a front stop and a position where it is positioned horizontally at the same level as the horizontal plane of the filling station, the rear portion of said plate then raising the bottom flap which is articulated on the front transverse wall of the container, while the front portion completes the interval between the training station and the filling station to allow the container to slide.
  • Said means for lifting the bottom flaps also include two lateral flaps articulated horizontally about parallel longitudinal axes, between a vertical retracted position and a horizontal position where they raise the bottom flaps which border the longitudinal walls of the container, and a rear slide , which, in the active position, raises the bottom flap which borders the rear transverse wall of the container.
  • each of the first and second carriages consists of a chassis guided in movement by guide rails which laterally run alongside the training station and the filling station, said chassis being provided with 'A pusher flap mounted pivoting about a vertical axis between an extended position in which it bears on the rear wall of the container and a retracted position where it is positioned laterally out of the path of the container on the first processing chain mentioned above.
  • a single cart with a single pusher flap can be used to transfer it from the training station to the filling station.
  • a loaded container can weigh up to 1000 kg, it is preferable to use two side carriages, each equipped with a pusher flap and arranged on either side of the container to transfer a full container from the station. filling at the palletizing station.
  • the container to which the invention applies is constituted by a rectangular box 10 of corrugated cardboard, comprising two longitudinal walls 12, 14 and two transverse walls 16, 18, four bottom flaps 20, 22, 24, 26 articulated on the lower edges of the four walls and four upper flaps (only two of which 28, 30 are visible in FIG. 1), articulated on the upper edges of the walls and intended for closing the box.
  • the bottom flaps can be cut at 45 ° in their angles, as can be seen on the strip 24 shown in Figure 3, so that they are placed in the same plane when folded, or they can be cut at right angles and, in this case, they overlap in the corners.
  • the bottom flaps are intended to be folded perpendicular to the side walls of the box and, in this position, they define a central opening 34 of rectangular shape.
  • the installation when viewed in plan, has substantially the shape of a T.
  • the central branch or “container chain” includes in series a station d introduction and training A, a filling station B and a palletizing station C.
  • the upper branch of the installation or “palletizing chain” includes a pallet supply station D, the palletizing station C which is common with that of the container chain and an evacuation station E.
  • the two chains can be arranged in parallel and be connected by transfer means.
  • the container chain comprises a frame formed by two rows of vertical uprights 36 interconnected by longitudinal beams 38, 40 and by transverse beams 42, 43.
  • Station A which is located at the lower end of the container chain, comprises a horizontal plate 44 located at the same level as a service platform 46.
  • a front flap 48 pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis 50, of transverse direction relative to the direction of said container chain. In the standby position, said flap is arranged vertically and therefore serves as a stop for the introduction of the container. It comes to bear by its longitudinal walls 12, 14, against lower profile guides 52, 54 ( Figure 3) fixed on the uprights 36 and by its upper edges against upper guides 56, 58 in the form of brackets fixed adjustable way on the transverse beams 42.
  • the spacing between the lower guides and that between the upper guides are adjustable, thus allowing the introduction of containers having the most common formats, for example 1200 x 1000 mm and 1000 x 800 mm.
  • the height of the beam 42 is adjustable so as to adapt the position of the upper guides 56, 58 to the maximum and minimum heights selected for the containers, ie 1100 and 800 mm.
  • flaps 62, 64 pivotally mounted about horizontal axes parallel to the direction of the container chain. In the standby position, these flaps hang vertically downwards, as shown on the right in FIG. 3, while in their active position, they are brought by double-acting cylinders (of which only one, 66, is shown in the Figure 3) in the horizontal position shown on the left in said figure, for which they raise the longitudinal bottom flaps 20, 22 towards their horizontal position.
  • the front flap 48 can be pivoted by a jack, not shown, from its vertical standby position to a horizontal position for which it raises the bottom flap 26 to its horizontal position.
  • Station A is also equipped at the rear with a lock 68 ( Figure 5) intended to prevent the container from returning to its flattened shape when it is released, and with a slide 70 intended to pivot the bottom flap rear 24 to its horizontal position.
  • a lock 68 Figure 5
  • a slide 70 intended to pivot the bottom flap rear 24 to its horizontal position.
  • the pivot axes of the various flaps and the slide are positioned so that in the raised position, the latter are coplanar, defining a horizontal surface on which the bottom flaps are supported.
  • the container 10 is driven from the training station A to the palletizing station B by means of a lateral carriage 72 shown in FIGS. 4 and 6.
  • the carriage comprises a frame 74 arranged vertically in the space between the container in position at the station A and the contiguous row of uprights 36.
  • the chassis is provided at its wedges with rollers 76 arranged to roll on the faces of two upper 78 and lower 80 longitudinal rails which are respectively fixed to the longitudinal guide 52 and to the longitudinal beam 38.
  • the carriage is driven in longitudinal movement by means of kinematics which will be described later with reference to FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 4 for the moment there is only a distinction between a kinematic sprocket 82 and a chain 84 winding on said pinion.
  • the carriage carries a pusher flap 86 which can pivot about a vertical axis 88 (see also Figures 2 and 3) between an active position where it is applied on the rear wall of the container and a retracted position shown in dashed lines in the figure 2, under the action of a double-acting cylinder 90 ( Figure 4).
  • a pusher flap When the pusher flap is in its active position and the carriage moves in the direction of the arrow f in FIG. 2, it moves the empty container from the training station A to the filling station.
  • This station can optionally be equipped with four glue injectors 92 with multiple nozzles (only one is shown in FIG. 3) intended to apply dots of glue 94 to the internal faces of the bottom flaps 20 to 26.
  • the filling station B comprises a horizontal support plane having a rectangular central opening 99 with the same area as the opening 34 at the bottom of the container.
  • said support plane is constituted by free rollers 95, rotating around horizontal, parallel and transverse axes relative to the movement of the conveyor. These rollers border the opening 99 and are at the same level as the side flaps 62, 64 and the front flap 48, so that during the transfer of the container from the training station A to the filling station B, the bottom flaps are constantly kept in the folded position without ever opening.
  • Free rollers 96 Figure 2 of transverse axis are also provided to ensure the continuity of said horizontal plane in the interval between the front flap 48 and the filling station.
  • a pivoting flap 98 playing the same role as the front flap 48 of the training station A, that is to say that when in the vertical position, it constitutes a stop for positioning of the container in the filling station, and when in a horizontal position, it constitutes a plane on which the full container can be slid during its transfer to the palletizing station C.
  • a piston 100 under the filling station is mounted a piston 100 whose axis coincides with the axis of symmetry of the opening 99.
  • the piston rod is provided at its end with a central pad fixed 102, of elongated rectangular shape, and four trapezoidal expandable pads 104, 106, 108 and 110 arranged around the pad 102 and all located in the same horizontal plane.
  • the two opposite expandable pads 108, 110 are provided to slide along the two guide rods 112, 114 between a retracted position where they are attached to the longitudinal sides of the central pad 102 and an expanded position (illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8) where they occupy practically the entire internal section of the container.
  • the opposite pads 104, 106 can occupy a retracted position and an expanded position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 by sliding on two guide rods 116, 118.
  • these the latter and the central shoe 102 constitute a continuous flat surface with a surface slightly smaller than that of the superimposed openings 34 and 99 of the bottom of the container and of the filling station.
  • the expandable pads 104, 106 on the one hand, and 108, 110 on the other hand, are actuated by two practically identical drive mechanisms of which a nonlimiting exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 8.
  • This mechanism includes two bent levers 120, 122 mounted pivoting around axes 124,126 passing through their elbow. The ends of one of their arms are articulated on a connecting rod 128 while the ends of their other arms are articulated on plates 130, 132 on which the expandable pads 108, 110 are fixed.
  • An actuating cylinder 134, articulated on the installation chassis and on one of the arms of the lever 120 for example, is capable of driving the plates 130, 132 and their associated pads 108, 110 in opposite directions.
  • the bent lever 120 is rotated about its axis 124 in a clockwise direction in FIG. 8, while the bent lever 122, pulled by the connecting rod 128, rotates in anticlockwise: the pads 108 and 110 will therefore move towards each other.
  • a mechanism similar to that which has just been described is used to drive the pads 104, 106.
  • a cardboard plate 136 with a surface slightly smaller than the internal surface of the bottom of the container. This plate is intended to constitute the bottom of the container after retraction of the piston, as will be explained later.
  • the filling station B is equipped on either side of the container with two side carriages 138, 140 identical to the side car 72 of the training station A.
  • These carts carry push flaps 142, 144 (see Figure 5) pivotally mounted between a retracted position where they are laterally erased in an area outside the volume generated during the movement of the container and a closed position where they are applied to the rear wall of a container in place in filling station B.
  • the lateral carriages 72 and 138 which are located on the same side of the stations A and B, are connected by a connecting rod 146.
  • a chain 84 already shown in Figure 4 is fixed by its ends 148, 150 on the carriages 72, 138. This chain is wound up to form a loop around the pinion 82 (see FIGS. 4 and 6) and of two pinions 152 and 154 mounted at the level of the training station A or slightly upstream of the latter.
  • a pinion 156 of adjustable position ensures the tension of the chain 84.
  • an endless chain 158 which is wound around sprockets 160,162,164 which define a straight path between station B and station C, and around a pinion 166 wedged on the same shaft 168 as that of pinion 154.
  • Said shaft is driven by a motor not shown.
  • the installation comprises two reels 170, 172 intended to wind the surplus flexible hoses 174, 176 used to supply the various jacks mounted on the carriages.
  • Each of said reels comprises a fixed pulley 178 located upstream of the extreme position of the carriage 72 or 140 to the left and a movable pulley 180 around which the pipe 174 (or 176) is wound in S, its supply end 182 being fixed.
  • a prestressed tension spring 184 anchored to a fixed point 186 and on a yoke 188 of the pulley 180, exerts on the latter a force which tends to move it away from the fixed pulley 178.
  • the movable pulley 180 is returned by the spring 184 to its position also shown in solid lines, so that the pipe 174 is stretched and has no trailing portion. If the carriages move to the right (the car 138 coming to the position in dashed lines in Figure 6), the reserve of pipe 174 between the beams 178,180 takes place by the fact that the movable pulley 180 moves to the left in Figure 6 to its position shown in dashed lines, the spring 184 is then put in tension.
  • the pallet supply station D includes a hopper 190 into which the pallets 192 can be introduced one by one either by a forklift through a side opening 194, or from above by an automatic pallet distribution store.
  • each of the chains carries a predetermined number of tabs 204 (four in the case of FIG. 9) regularly spaced.
  • the chains 196, 198 are driven in stepwise synchronism in the direction of the arrow f in FIG. 9, each step being equal to the distance separating the positions D, C and E from each other.
  • the tabs 204 resting on the rear face of the pallets 192 can therefore introduce an empty pallet from the supply station D to the palletizing station C and evacuate the full pallet from the latter to the evacuation station E.
  • a flat palletizing sheet 214 made of a material having a low coefficient of friction with respect to the cardboard. This sheet rests on a pallet and is intended to promote the sliding of the full content of the filling station to the pallet waiting at the palletizing station, as will be explained later.
  • a plate 215 which can pivot freely around a transverse horizontal axis 217.
  • This plate bears by its free edge on the sheet of palletizing 214. Its roles are, on the one hand, to form with the latter and with the front flap 98 a continuous flat surface on which the full container can be slid to the palletizing station and, on the other hand, catch up with the variations in level of the palletizing sheet 214, taking into account the fact that the pallets 192 do not all have exactly the same height.
  • An operator introduces into the training station A a package 10 which she slides by its bottom flaps 20 to 26 open on the support plane 44 of said station (FIG. 2), at the same time as it puts it into the shape of a parallelepiped.
  • the container thus formed abuts by its front transverse wall against the front flap 48 which is at this time in a vertical position and its side walls come to bear against the lateral guides 52, 54 and upper 56, 58 (FIG. 3) which have been previously adapted to the size and height of the container.
  • the operator pushes the packaging until it locks via lock 68.
  • the front flap 48 being retracted, the container is released.
  • the carriage 72 then drives the empty container by means of its flap 86 to the filling station B.
  • the front flap 98 is then raised in a vertical position to serve as a front stop, at the same time as the carriages 138, 140 which are located at station B move empty to the palletizing station C.
  • the state of the three stations A, B and C is shown in Figure 5c.
  • the piston rod 100 ( Figure 8) rises through the lower opening of the container until its pads arrive at a slight level. lower than the upper edge of the container. During this climb, the four lateral pads 104 to 110 expand, occupying practically the entire surface of the upper opening of the container, as can be seen in FIGS. 5c and 8.
  • the operator then deposits a cardboard bottom plate 136 (FIG. 8) which she takes from a plate store located within reach of her hand, then she loads the first level of products, constituted for example by packets 220 arriving on a feed conveyor 222 which passes over stations A, B and C ( Figure 2).
  • the piston stops a short distance above the bottom flaps, as can be seen in FIG. 8.
  • the lateral shoes 104 to 110 then retract towards the central shoe 102 and the piston finishes its stroke, applying the bottom plate 136 to the dots of glue 94 which have been deposited on the bottom flaps.
  • the upper chains 206,208 (FIGS. 2 and 9) are then driven anticlockwise in FIG. 9, so that they pull the pallet sheet 214. This slides between the full container 10 and the pallet 192 which carries the latter. In this movement, the pallet is retained by the tabs 204 and the container by a fixed stop 226. By thus moving back, the palletizing sheet covers the pallet 192 'which has been previously deposited at the supply station D. This position of the pallet sheet is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 9.
  • the lower chains 196, 198 carrying the tabs 214 are then set in anticlockwise movement in FIG. 9, at the same time as the upper chains 206, 208 which drive the pallet sheet.
  • the lower chains drive, through their cleats, on the one hand the full container and its pallet 192 from station C towards the evacuation station E, and, on the other hand, the empty pallet 192 covered with the pallet sheet from supply station D to pallet station C.
  • FIG. 9 shows in dashed lines the format of a smaller container, the corresponding stop position of the tabs and the corresponding position of the stop.
  • the installation according to the invention therefore makes it possible to carry out the loading at a constant level of a container with an open bottom, the latter being provided with a simple cardboard plate or any other material as a bottom and being mounted on a standard or non-commercial handling support.
  • the bottom of the container does not risk deformation at any time since it constantly rests on a flat surface. This also makes it possible to remove the feet with which the known containers of this type were equipped.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
  • Pallets (AREA)
  • Packages (AREA)
  • Stacking Of Articles And Auxiliary Devices (AREA)
  • Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)
  • Container Filling Or Packaging Operations (AREA)

Abstract

1. Installation for opening out, filling and palletising containers of the type comprising a parallelepipedic case (10) of square or rectangular section, which is open at its two ends and whose bottom is reduced to four peripheral bottom flaps (20, 22, 24, 26) pivotally connected to the side walls of the container, comprising a filling station (B) with a vertical piston (100) for supporting a plate (136) intended to form the bottom of the container, characterized in that it comprises : - an introduction and formation station (A) into which the container (10) which is initially formed by a blank in the form of a flattened paralelogram is manually introduced and then opened out to assume a parallelepipedic shape, its bottom flaps (20 to 26) remaining in a vertical open position, said station comprising means (48, 68) for holding the container in its parallelepipedic shape, means (48, 62, 64, 70) for lifting the bottom flaps to a horizontal position and optionally means (92) for glueing the internal faces of the bottom flaps, - the filling station (B) disposed downstream of the formation station comprising : . a horizontal plane formed for example by a series of free rollers (95) on which the containers rests by way of its folded-over bottom flaps and which delimit a central opening (99) of an area substantially equal to that (34) of the opening remaining in the bottom of the contour, . the vertical piston (100) which is provided at the end of its rod with flat elements (102 to 110) capable of expanding in the horizontal plane forme a contracted position in which, when the piston is retracted, they form an area slightly less than that of said opening (34) in the bottom of the container and whose upper common plane is disposed at the same level as that of said rollers (95), to an expanded position in which they occupy practically the entire internal section of the container, wherein said flat elements can support over its entire surface the plate (136) which is intended to form the bottom of the container, - a palletisation station (C) which is disposed downstream of the filling station at a distance therefrom equal to that separating the formation station and the filling station and which is supplied with pallets (192), each pallet in position having its upper surface substantially at the same level as the plane of the free rollers (95), - a horizontal transfer plate (215) ensuring continuity between the plane of the free rollers and that of the pallet, - at least a first carriage (72) which is normally in the formation station (A) and which is actuated sequentially with a forward movement in which it entrains an empty container from the formation station to the filling station and a return movement in the empty condition to the formation station ; - at least a second carriage (138, 140) which is normally at the filling station and which is displaced synchronously with the first carriage (72) so as simultaneously to entrain a loaded container from the filling station (B) to the palletisation station (C) and to return empty to the filling station, - a pallet supply station (D), - a discharge station (E) dor discharge of full containers mounted on a pallet, - a palletisation plate member (214) which covers the pallet which is in position at the palletisation station and on to which the full container arriving from the filling station is pushed, said plate member being capable of being slid alone in such a way that the container is deposited on the pallet, said last two elements being retained by abutments (226, 204), and - a conveying device (206, 208) which is intended to entrainh simultaneously and in a stepwise manner an empty pallet (192') from the supply station (D) to the palletisation station (C) and a pallet (192) carrying a loaded container from the palletisation station to the discharge station.

Description

La présente invention concerne une installation modulaire permettant d'effectuer la mise en volume de conteneurs de grande capacité, leur remplissage et leur positionnement sur des palettes. Elle s'applique plus particulièrement au conteneur du type décrit dans le brevet US N° 3 072 314.The present invention relates to a modular installation for carrying out the volume of large capacity containers, their filling and their positioning on pallets. It applies more particularly to the container of the type described in US Patent No. 3,072,314.

Ce conteneur connu comprend une caisse parallélépipédique de section carrée ou rectangulaire, ouverte à ses deux extrémités, et dont le fond inféreiur se réduit à quatre rabats périphériques s'articulant sur les parois latérales du conteneur, une palette formée par un cadre vide intérieurement sur lequel la caisse repose par lesdits rabats' périphériques et une claie en bois de surface légèrement inférieure à la section intérieure de la caisse, etqui constitue un fond mobile pour le conteneur.This known container comprises a parallelepipedic box of square or rectangular section, open at its two ends, and whose bottom bottom is reduced to four peripheral flaps hinging on the side walls of the container, a pallet formed by an empty frame internally on which the box rests by said peripheral flaps and a wooden rack with a surface slightly smaller than the inside section of the box, and which constitutes a movable bottom for the container.

Ce brevet décrit également une installation correspondant au préambule de la revendication 1 et un procédé de remplissage d'un tel conteneur, qui consiste à soulever ladite claie au moyen d'un piston passant à travers l'ouverture de la palette et du fond creux de la caisse, jusqu'à l'amener sensiblement au niveau de l'ouverture supérieure de la caisse, à disposer une première couche de produits sur la claie, à faire descendre le piston de la hauteur de ladite couche de produits, à charger une deuxième couche à niveau constant et à procéder ainsi de suite jusqu'à ce que la claie vienne reposer sur les rabats périphériques.This patent also describes an installation corresponding to the preamble of claim 1 and a method of filling such a container, which consists in lifting said rack by means of a piston passing through the opening of the pallet and the hollow bottom of the body, until bringing it substantially to the level of the upper opening of the body, to have a first layer of products on the rack, to lower the piston from the height of said layer of products, to load a second layer at constant level and continue until the rack comes to rest on the peripheral flaps.

L'inconvénient d'un tel conteneur réside dans le fait que le passage du piston interdit de disposer le conteneur sur une palette standard pleine, avant le remplissage. Il en découle que le conteneur doit être monté sur une palette à fond creux ou être muni de ses propres pieds si l'on veut le manutentionner à l'aide de transpalettes ou de chariots à fourches.The disadvantage of such a container lies in the fact that the passage of the piston prohibits placing the container on a full standard pallet, before filling. It follows that the container must be mounted on a hollow bottom pallet or be provided with its own feet if it is to be handled using pallet trucks or forklifts.

Un mode de réalisation de tels pieds est décrit dans la demande française de brevet N° 8414290 (FR-A-2570354) déposée le 18 septembre 1984 au nom de la titulaire. Ces pieds, réalisés en matière plastique, sont disposés aux quatre coins inférieurs du conteneur et maintenus par une colle auto-adhésive. Mais de tels pieds sont relativement coûteux et compliquent le processus de mise en forme du conteneur. De même, l'utilisation d'une claie en bois a pour effet d'alourdir le conteneur et d'en augmenter le coût.One embodiment of such feet is described in French patent application No. 8414290 (FR-A-2570354) filed on September 18, 1984 in the name of the holder. These feet, made of plastic, are arranged at the four lower corners of the container and held in place by a self-adhesive glue. But such feet are relatively expensive and complicate the process of shaping the container. Similarly, the use of a wooden rack has the effect of weighing down the container and increasing the cost.

La présente invention vise une installation pour la mise en volume et le remplissage à niveau constant d'un conteneur du type susmentionné, et qui permet d'utiliser des palettes ou tout support de manutention, standard ou non du commerce, à la place desdits pieds, et de remplacer la claie en bois formant le fond du conteneur par une simple plaque en carton ou en tout matériau approprié.The present invention relates to an installation for the volume setting and filling at constant level of a container of the aforementioned type, and which allows the use of pallets or any handling support, standard or not commercially available, in place of said feet. , and replace the wooden rack forming the bottom of the container with a simple cardboard plate or any other suitable material.

L'installation selon l'invention se caractérise en ce qu'elle comprend:

  • - un poste d'introduction et de formation dans lequel le conteneur, qui est constitué initialement par un flan en forme de parallélogramme aplati, est introduit manuellement puis est mis en volume pour prendre une forme parallélépipédïque, ses rabats de fond restant en position ouverte verticale, ledit poste comprenant des moyens pour maintenir le conteneur dans sa forme parallélépipédique, des moyens pour relever les rabats de fond en position horizontale et éventuellement des moyens pour encoller les faces internes des rabats de fond,
  • - un poste de remplissage situé en aval du poste de formation et comprenant:
    • . un plan horizontal constitué par exemple par une série de rouleaux libres sur lesquels le conteneur repose par l'intermédiarie de ses rabats de fond rabattus, et qui délimitent une ouverture centrale de surface sensiblement égale à celle de l'ouverture subsistant dans le fond du conteneur,
    • • un piston vertical muni à l'extrémité de sa tige d'éléments plats susceptibles de s'expanser dans le plan horizontal depuis une position contractée où ils forment, lorsque le piston est rétracté, une surface légèrement inférieure à celle de ladite ouverture subsistant dans le fond du conteneur et dont le plan supérieur commun se trouve au même niveau que celui desdits rouleaux, jusqu'à une position dilatée où ils occupent pratiquement toute la section interne du conteneur, lesdits éléments plats pouvant ainsi soutenir sur toute leur surface une plaque destinée à former le fond du conteneur,
  • - un poste de palettisation situé en aval du poste de remplissage à une distance de celui-ci égale à celle séparant le poste de formation et le poste de remplissage et approvisionné en palettes, chaque palette en position ayant sa surface supérieure sensiblement au même niveau que le plan des rouleuax Fibres,
  • - une plaque horizontale de transfert assurant la continuité entre le plan des rouleaux libres et celui de la palette,
  • - au moins un premier chariot se trouvant normalement dans le poste de formation et animé séquentiellement d'un mouvement aller où il entraîne un conteneur vide du poste de formation au poste de remplissage et d'un mouvement de retour à vide au poste de formation,
  • - au moins un second chariot se trouvant normalement au poste de remplissage et se déplaçant en synchronisme avec le premier chariot de manière à entraîner simultanément un conteneur chargé du poste dé remplissage au poste de palettisation et à revenir à vide au poste de remplissage,
  • - un poste d'approvisionnement en palettes,
  • - un poste d'évacuation de conteneurs pleins montés sur palettes,
  • - une tôle de palettisation qui recouvre la palette qui se trouve en position au poste de palettisation, et sur laquelle le conteneur plein arrivant du poste de remplissage est poussé, ladite tôle étant susceptible d'être glissée seule de manière que le conteneur se dépose sur la palette, ces deux derniers éléments étant retenus par des butées, et
  • - un dispositif de convoyage destiné à entraîner simultanément et pas à pas une palette vide du poste d'approvisionnement au poste de palettisation et une palette portant un conteneur chargé, du poste de palettisation au poste d'évacuation.
The installation according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises:
  • - an introduction and training station in which the container, which initially consists of a blank in the form of a flattened parallelogram, is introduced manually and then placed in volume to take a parallelepiped shape, its bottom flaps remaining in the open vertical position , said station comprising means for holding the container in its parallelepiped shape, means for raising the bottom flaps in a horizontal position and possibly means for gluing the internal faces of the bottom flaps,
  • - a filling station located downstream from the training station and comprising:
    • . a horizontal plane constituted for example by a series of free rollers on which the container rests by means of its folded bottom flaps, and which delimit a central opening with a surface substantially equal to that of the opening remaining in the bottom of the container ,
    • • a vertical piston provided at the end of its rod with flat elements capable of expanding in the horizontal plane from a contracted position where they form, when the piston is retracted, a surface slightly smaller than that of said opening remaining in the bottom of the container and the common upper plane of which is at the same level as that of said rollers, to an expanded position where they occupy practically the entire internal section of the container, said flat elements thus being able to support a plate intended for their entire surface to form the bottom of the container,
  • - a palletizing station located downstream of the filling station at a distance from the latter equal to that separating the training station and the filling station and supplied with pallets, each pallet in position having its upper surface approximately at the same level as the fiber roll plan,
  • - a horizontal transfer plate ensuring continuity between the plane of the free rollers and that of the pallet,
  • - at least one first carriage normally located in the training station and sequentially driven in a forward movement where it drives an empty container from the training station to the filling station and a return empty movement to the training station,
  • at least one second carriage normally located at the filling station and moving in synchronism with the first carriage so as to simultaneously drive a container loaded from the filling station to the palletizing station and to return empty to the filling station,
  • - a pallet supply station,
  • - an evacuation station for full containers mounted on pallets,
  • a palletizing sheet which covers the pallet which is in position at the palletizing station, and on which the full container arriving from the filling station is pushed, said sheet being capable of being slid alone so that the container is deposited on the pallet, these last two elements being retained by stops, and
  • - a conveying device intended to simultaneously drive step by step an empty pallet from the supply station to the pallet station tion and a pallet carrying a loaded container, from the palletizing station to the evacuation station.

Ainsi, la plaque de fond du conteneur est toujours supportée par toute sa surface, puisque pendant le remplissage, elle repose sur les éléments plats de piston en position expansée, et lorsqu'elle repose sur les rabats de fond, sa périphérie est soutenue par les rouleaux libres et sa partie centrale repose sur le plan constitué par les éléments plats de piston rétractés. Il en est de même pendant le transfert du conteneur plein entre le poste de remplissage et le poste de palettisation puisque le fond glisse sur la plaque horizontale de transfert. Il n'est donc pas nécessaire de réaliser la plaque de fond en une matière particulièrement résistante à la flexion, comme c'était le cas pour les claies de la technique antérieure. On peut au contraire utiliser de simples plaques de carton ou analogues.Thus, the bottom plate of the container is always supported by its entire surface, since during filling, it rests on the flat piston elements in the expanded position, and when it rests on the bottom flaps, its periphery is supported by the free rollers and its central part rests on the plane formed by the retracted flat piston elements. It is the same during the transfer of the full container between the filling station and the palletizing station since the bottom slides on the horizontal transfer plate. It is therefore not necessary to produce the bottom plate in a material which is particularly resistant to bending, as was the case for the racks of the prior art. On the contrary, simple cardboard plates or the like can be used.

On obtient ainsi un conteneur extrêmement économique puisqu'il ne comporte ni pieds, ni claie en bois comme fond et qu'il est porté par une palette standard pleine.An extremely economical container is thus obtained since it has neither feet nor wooden shelves as a bottom and is carried by a full standard pallet.

Selon une disposition avantageuse, l'installation vue en plan présente la forme d'un T, formé de deux chaînes de traitement perpendiculaires, ayant en commun le poste de palettisation, la première chaîne de traitement comprenant en série le poste de formation, le poste de remplissage et le poste de palettisation, et la seconde chaîne comprenant le poste d'approvisionnement, le poste de palettisation et le poste d'évacuation.According to an advantageous arrangement, the installation seen in plan has the shape of a T, formed of two perpendicular processing chains, having in common the palletizing station, the first processing chain comprising in series the training station, the station filling station and the palletizing station, and the second chain comprising the supply station, the palletizing station and the evacuation station.

Lesdits moyens pour maintenir en forme le conteneur comprennent des guides longitudinaux supérieurs et latéraux qui s'appuient respectivement sur les bords longitudinaux de l'ouverture supérieure du conteneur et sur les parois longitudinales de ce dernier, une plaque avant de direction transversale par rapport au sens de déplacement du convoyeur de manière à servir de butée pour la paroi avant du conteneur, et un verrou venant appuyer sur la paroi arrière du conteneur de manière à l'empêcher de reprendre une forme aplatie.Said means for keeping the container in shape comprises upper and lateral longitudinal guides which bear respectively on the longitudinal edges of the upper opening of the container and on the longitudinal walls of the latter, a front plate of transverse direction relative to the direction movement of the conveyor so as to serve as a stop for the front wall of the container, and a lock pressing on the rear wall of the container so as to prevent it from resuming a flattened shape.

Ladite plaque avant est articulée horizontalement autour d'un axe transversal entre une position où elle est verticale et sert de butée avant et une position où elle se place horizontalement au même niveau que le plan horizontal du poste de remplissage, la portion arrière de ladite plaque relevant alors le rabat de fond qui est articulé sur la paroi transversale avant du conteneur, tandis que la portion avant vient compléter l'intervalle compris entre le poste de formation et le poste de remplissage pour permettre le glissement du conteneur.Said front plate is articulated horizontally around a transverse axis between a position where it is vertical and serves as a front stop and a position where it is positioned horizontally at the same level as the horizontal plane of the filling station, the rear portion of said plate then raising the bottom flap which is articulated on the front transverse wall of the container, while the front portion completes the interval between the training station and the filling station to allow the container to slide.

Lesdits moyens de relevage des rabats de fond comprennent également deux volets latéraux articulés horizontalement autour d'axes longitudinaux parallèles, entre une position verticale escamotée et une position horizontale où ils relèvent les rabats de fond qui bordent les parois longitudinales du conteneur, et un coulisseau arrière, qui, en position active, relève le rabat de fond qui borde la paroi transversale arrière du conteneur.Said means for lifting the bottom flaps also include two lateral flaps articulated horizontally about parallel longitudinal axes, between a vertical retracted position and a horizontal position where they raise the bottom flaps which border the longitudinal walls of the container, and a rear slide , which, in the active position, raises the bottom flap which borders the rear transverse wall of the container.

Selon un mode de réalisation particulier de l'invention, chacun du ou des premier et second chariots est constitué par un châssis guidé en mouvement par des rails de guidage qui longent latéralement le poste de formation et le poste de remplissage, ledit châssis étant muni d'un volet pousseur monté pivotant autour d'un axe vertical entre une position sortie dans laquelle il prend appui sur la paroi arrière du conteneur et une position escamotée où il se place latéralement hors du trajet du conteneur sur la première chaîne de traitement susmentionnée.According to a particular embodiment of the invention, each of the first and second carriages consists of a chassis guided in movement by guide rails which laterally run alongside the training station and the filling station, said chassis being provided with 'A pusher flap mounted pivoting about a vertical axis between an extended position in which it bears on the rear wall of the container and a retracted position where it is positioned laterally out of the path of the container on the first processing chain mentioned above.

Le conteneur vide étant léger, un seul chariot muni d'un unique volet pousseur pourra être utilisé pour le transférer du poste de formation au poste de remplissage. Par contre étant donné qu'un conteneur chargé peut peser jusqu'à 1000 kg, il est préférable d'utiliser deux chariots latéraux équipés chacun d'un volet pousseur et disposés de part et d'autre du conteneur pour transférer un conteneur plein du poste de remplissage au poste de palettisation.As the empty container is light, a single cart with a single pusher flap can be used to transfer it from the training station to the filling station. On the other hand, given that a loaded container can weigh up to 1000 kg, it is preferable to use two side carriages, each equipped with a pusher flap and arranged on either side of the container to transfer a full container from the station. filling at the palletizing station.

Ledit premier chariot et lesdits deux seconds chariots sont solidaires en mouvement au moyen d'un système de transmission de mouvement qui comprend:

  • - une première chaîne fixée à ses deux extrémités respectivement au premier chariot et au second chariot qui se trouve du même côté que lui et qui s'enroule autour de pignons dont l'un est moteur,
  • - une liaison rigide, telle qu'une bielle, reliant ledit premier chariot et ledit second chariot qui se trouve du même côté que lui, ladite liaison ayant une longueur égale à la distance séparant l'un des postes de la première chaîne de traitement du poste suivant, et
  • - une chaîne sans fin reliée à ses deux extrémités au troisième chariot situé du côté opposé du second chariot par rapport au conteneur, ladite chaîne s'enroulant autour de pignons, dont l'un est calé sur le même arbre que le pignon moteur associé à la première chaîne, le sens d'enroulement des deux chaînes étant tel que les trois chariots sont entraînés en synchronisme dans le même sens.
Said first carriage and said two second carriages are integral in movement by means of a movement transmission system which comprises:
  • a first chain fixed at its two ends respectively to the first carriage and to the second carriage which is on the same side as it and which is wound around sprockets, one of which is motor,
  • a rigid link, such as a connecting rod, connecting said first carriage and said second carriage which is on the same side as it, said link having a length equal to the distance separating one of the stations from the first processing chain of the next post, and
  • - an endless chain connected at its two ends to the third carriage located on the opposite side of the second carriage relative to the container, said chain winding around pinions, one of which is wedged on the same shaft as the motor pinion associated with the first chain, the winding direction of the two chains being such that the three carriages are driven synchronously in the same direction.

D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de l'invention apparaîtront à la lecture de la description qui va suivre d'une forme de réalisation. Dans cette descritpion, on se référera aux dessins dans lesquels:

  • La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un conteneur auquel s'applique l'invention, les rabats supérieurs étant supposés rabattus sur les parois du conteneur.
  • La figure 2 est une vue générale en plan de l'installation selon l'invention.
  • La figure 3 est une vue en bout de l'installation à partir du poste de formation.
  • La figure 4 est une vue à échelle agrandie d'un détail de la figure 3 et montrant le guidage d'un chariot et l'articulation d'un volet pousseur.
  • Les figures 5a à 5e sont des diagrammes du déroulement d'un cycle de traitement d'un conteneur depuis la formation jusqu'à la palettisation.
  • La figure 6 représente une vue schématique de la cinématique de commande des chariots, les deux côtés étant supposés rabattus sur un même plan.
  • La figure 7 est une vue en plan des éléments expansibles du piston, en position expansée.
  • La figure 8 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne VIII-VIII de la figure 7, et
  • la figure 9 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne IX-IX de la figure 2.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of an embodiment. In this description, reference will be made to the drawings in which:
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container to which the invention applies, the upper flaps being assumed folded down on the walls of the container.
  • Figure 2 is a general plan view of the installation according to the invention.
  • Figure 3 is an end view of the installation from the training station.
  • Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 3 showing the guide of a carriage and the articulation of a pusher flap.
  • Figures 5a to 5e are diagrams of the course of a container treatment cycle from training to palletizing.
  • FIG. 6 represents a schematic view of the kinematics for controlling the carriages, the two sides being assumed to be folded down on the same plane.
  • FIG. 7 is a plan view of the expandable elements of the piston, in the expanded position.
  • FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7, and
  • FIG. 9 is a sectional view along line IX-IX of FIG. 2.

Avec référence tout d'abord à la figure 1, le conteneur auquel s'applique l'invention est constitué par une caisse parallélépipédique 10 en carton ondulé, comprenant deux parois longitudinales 12, 14 et deux parois transversales 16, 18, quatre rabats de fond 20, 22, 24, 26 articulés sur les bords inférieurs des quatre parois et quatre rabats supérieurs (dont deux seulement 28, 30 sont visibles sur la figure 1 ), articulés sur les bords supérieurs des parois et destinés à la fermeture de la caisse.With reference first to Figure 1, the container to which the invention applies is constituted by a rectangular box 10 of corrugated cardboard, comprising two longitudinal walls 12, 14 and two transverse walls 16, 18, four bottom flaps 20, 22, 24, 26 articulated on the lower edges of the four walls and four upper flaps (only two of which 28, 30 are visible in FIG. 1), articulated on the upper edges of the walls and intended for closing the box.

Les rabats de fond peuvent être coupés à 45° dans leurs angles, comme on peut le voir sur la bande 24 montrée à la figure 3, de façon qu'ils se placent dans un même plan lorsqu'ils sont repliés, ou encore ils peuvent être coupés à angle droit et, dans ce cas, ils se chevauchent dans les angles.The bottom flaps can be cut at 45 ° in their angles, as can be seen on the strip 24 shown in Figure 3, so that they are placed in the same plane when folded, or they can be cut at right angles and, in this case, they overlap in the corners.

De façon connue en soi, pour que les rabats supérieurs 28, 30 ne fasssent pas obstacle au déplacement de la caisse dans l'installation, ils sont maintenus étroitement appliqués contre les faces extérieures des parois latérales de la caisse par le fait qu'ils sont reliés au voisinage de leurs coins libres adjacents par une courte zone 32 qui ne sera déchirée qu'après le processus de chargement et de palettisation.In a manner known per se, so that the upper flaps 28, 30 do not obstruct the movement of the body in the installation, they are kept tightly applied against the outer faces of the side walls of the body by the fact that they are connected in the vicinity of their adjacent free corners by a short area 32 which will not be torn until after the loading and palletizing process.

On peut toutefois envisager tout autre mode de fermeture de la partie supérieure du conteneur, par exemple au moyen d'un couvercle indépendant en croix que l'on colle sur les quatre parois latérales du conteneur, ou encore au moyen d'une coiffe en cloche que l'on emboîte sur le conteneur.It is however possible to envisage any other method of closing the upper part of the container, for example by means of an independent cross-shaped cover which is glued to the four side walls of the container, or even by means of a bell cap. that we nest on the container.

Les rabats de fond sont destinés à être repliés perpendiculairement aux parois latérales de la caisse et, dans cette position, ils définissent une ouverture centrale 34 de forme rectangulaire.The bottom flaps are intended to be folded perpendicular to the side walls of the box and, in this position, they define a central opening 34 of rectangular shape.

On décrira à présent l'installation en regard des figures 2 et 3. L'installation, lorsqu'elle est vue en plan, présente sensiblement la forme d'un T. La branche centrale ou «chaîne conteneur» comprend en série un poste d'introduction et de formation A, un poste de remplissage B et un poste de palettisation C. La branche supérieure de l'installation ou «chaîne de palettisation» comprend un poste d'approvisionnement en palettes D, le poste de palettisation C qui est commun avec celui de la chaîne conteneur et un poste d'évacuation E.The installation will now be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. The installation, when viewed in plan, has substantially the shape of a T. The central branch or “container chain” includes in series a station d introduction and training A, a filling station B and a palletizing station C. The upper branch of the installation or "palletizing chain" includes a pallet supply station D, the palletizing station C which is common with that of the container chain and an evacuation station E.

On peut également envisager toute autre implantation appropriée des postes; par exemple, les deux chaînes peuvent être disposées parallèlement et être reliées par des moyens de transfert.We can also consider any other appropriate location of posts; for example, the two chains can be arranged in parallel and be connected by transfer means.

La chaîne conteneur comprend un bâti formé de deux rangées de montants verticaux 36 reliés entre eux par des poutres longitudinales 38, 40 et par des poutres transversales 42, 43.The container chain comprises a frame formed by two rows of vertical uprights 36 interconnected by longitudinal beams 38, 40 and by transverse beams 42, 43.

Le poste A, qui est situé à l'extrémité inférieure de la chaîne conteneur, comprend une platine horizontale 44 située au même niveau qu'une plate- forme de service 46. A l'avant dudit poste est prévu un volet avant 48 monté pivotant autour d'un axe horizontal 50, de direction transversale par rapport à la direction de ladite chaîne conteneur. En position d'attente, ledit volet est disposé verticalement et sert donc de butée pour l'introduction du conteneur. Celui-ci vient prendre appui par ses parois longitudinales 12, 14, contre des guides profilés inférieurs 52, 54 (figure 3) fixés sur les montants 36 et par ses bords supérieurs contre des guides supérieurs 56, 58 en forme d'équerres fixés de façon réglable sur les poutres transversales 42.Station A, which is located at the lower end of the container chain, comprises a horizontal plate 44 located at the same level as a service platform 46. At the front of said station is provided a front flap 48 pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis 50, of transverse direction relative to the direction of said container chain. In the standby position, said flap is arranged vertically and therefore serves as a stop for the introduction of the container. It comes to bear by its longitudinal walls 12, 14, against lower profile guides 52, 54 (Figure 3) fixed on the uprights 36 and by its upper edges against upper guides 56, 58 in the form of brackets fixed adjustable way on the transverse beams 42.

Avantageusement, l'écartement entre les guides inférieurs et celui entre les guides supérieurs sont réglables, permettant ainsi l'introduction de conteneurs ayant les formats les plus courants, par exemple 1200 x 1000 mm et 1000 x 800 mm. De même, la hauteur de la poutre 42 est réglable de manière à adapter la position des guides supérieurs 56, 58 aux hauteurs maximale et minimale retenues pour les conteneurs, soit 1100 et 800 mm.Advantageously, the spacing between the lower guides and that between the upper guides are adjustable, thus allowing the introduction of containers having the most common formats, for example 1200 x 1000 mm and 1000 x 800 mm. Similarly, the height of the beam 42 is adjustable so as to adapt the position of the upper guides 56, 58 to the maximum and minimum heights selected for the containers, ie 1100 and 800 mm.

De part et d'autre du passage défini entre lesdits guides sont prévus deux volets 62, 64 montés pivotants autour d'axes horizontaux parallèles à la direction de la chaîne conteneur. En position d'attente, ces volets pendent verticalement vers le bas, comme représenté à droite sur la figure 3, tandis que dans leur position active, ils sont amenés par des vérins à double effet (dont un seul, 66, est représenté sur la figure 3) en position horizontale montrée à gauche sur ladite figure, pour laquelle ils relèvent les rabats longitudinaux de fond 20, 22 vers leur position horizontale.On either side of the passage defined between said guides are provided two flaps 62, 64 pivotally mounted about horizontal axes parallel to the direction of the container chain. In the standby position, these flaps hang vertically downwards, as shown on the right in FIG. 3, while in their active position, they are brought by double-acting cylinders (of which only one, 66, is shown in the Figure 3) in the horizontal position shown on the left in said figure, for which they raise the longitudinal bottom flaps 20, 22 towards their horizontal position.

De même, le volet avant 48 peut être pivoté par un vérin non représenté, de sa position verticale d'attente à une position horizontale pour laquelle il relève le rabat de fond 26 vers sa position horizontale.Similarly, the front flap 48 can be pivoted by a jack, not shown, from its vertical standby position to a horizontal position for which it raises the bottom flap 26 to its horizontal position.

Le poste A est également équipé à l'arrière d'un verrou 68 (figure 5) destiné à empêcher le conte- neurde reprendre sa forme aplatie lorsqu'il est relâché, et d'un coulisseau 70 destiné à faire pivoter le rabat de fond arrière 24 vers sa position horizontale.Station A is also equipped at the rear with a lock 68 (Figure 5) intended to prevent the container from returning to its flattened shape when it is released, and with a slide 70 intended to pivot the bottom flap rear 24 to its horizontal position.

Les axes de pivotement des différents volets et le coulisseau sont positionnés de manière qu'en position relevée, ces derniers soient coplanaires, définissant une surface horizontale sur laquelle les rabats de fond s'appuient.The pivot axes of the various flaps and the slide are positioned so that in the raised position, the latter are coplanar, defining a horizontal surface on which the bottom flaps are supported.

Le conteneur 10 est entraîné du poste de formation A au poste de palettisation B au moyen d'un chariot latéral 72 représenté aux figures 4 et 6. Le chariot comprend un châssis 74 disposé verticalement dans l'intervalle compris entre le conteneur en position au poste A et la rangée contiguë de montants 36. Le châssis est muni à ses coins de galets 76 disposés pour rouler sur les faces de deux rails longitudinaux supérieur 78 et inférieur 80 qui sont respectivement fixés au guide longitudinal 52 et à la poutre longitudinale 38. Le chariot est entraîné en mouvement longitudinal au moyen d'une cinématique qui sera décrite plus loin en regard de la figure 6. Sur la figure 4, on ne distingue pour le moment de ladite cinématique d'un pignon denté 82 et qu'une chaîne 84 s'enroulant sur ledit pignon.The container 10 is driven from the training station A to the palletizing station B by means of a lateral carriage 72 shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. The carriage comprises a frame 74 arranged vertically in the space between the container in position at the station A and the contiguous row of uprights 36. The chassis is provided at its wedges with rollers 76 arranged to roll on the faces of two upper 78 and lower 80 longitudinal rails which are respectively fixed to the longitudinal guide 52 and to the longitudinal beam 38. The carriage is driven in longitudinal movement by means of kinematics which will be described later with reference to FIG. 6. In FIG. 4, for the moment there is only a distinction between a kinematic sprocket 82 and a chain 84 winding on said pinion.

Le chariot porte un volet pousseur 86 pouvant pivoter autour d'un axe vertical 88 (voir également figures 2 et 3) entre une position active où il s'applique sur la paroi arrière du conteneur et une position rétractée représentée en traits tiretés sur la figure 2, sous l'action d'un vérin à double effet 90 (figure 4). Lorsque le volet pousseur est dans sa position active et que le chariot se déplace dans le sens de la flèche f sur la figure 2, il entraîne en mouvement le conteneur vide du poste de formation A au poste de remplissage.The carriage carries a pusher flap 86 which can pivot about a vertical axis 88 (see also Figures 2 and 3) between an active position where it is applied on the rear wall of the container and a retracted position shown in dashed lines in the figure 2, under the action of a double-acting cylinder 90 (Figure 4). When the pusher flap is in its active position and the carriage moves in the direction of the arrow f in FIG. 2, it moves the empty container from the training station A to the filling station.

Ce poste peut éventuellement être équipé de quatre injecteurs de colle 92 à buses multiples (un seul est représenté sur la figure 3) destinés à appliquer des points de colle 94 sur les faces internes des rabats de fond 20 à 26.This station can optionally be equipped with four glue injectors 92 with multiple nozzles (only one is shown in FIG. 3) intended to apply dots of glue 94 to the internal faces of the bottom flaps 20 to 26.

Le poste de remplissage B comprend un plan support horizontal présentant une ouverture centrale rectangulaire 99 de même surface que l'ouverture 34 du fond du conteneur. Avantageusement, ledit plan support est constitué par des rouleaux libres 95, tournant autour d'axes horizontaux, parallèles et transversaux par rapport au déplacement du convoyeur. Ces rouleaux bordent l'ouverture 99 et se trouvent au même niveau que les volets latéraux 62, 64 et que le volet avant 48, de sorte que durant le transfert du conteneur du poste de formation A au poste de remplissag B, les rabats de fond sont constamment maintenus en position rabattue sans jamais s'ouvrir. Des rouleaux libres 96 (figure 2) d'axe transversal sont également prévus pour assurer la continuité dudit plan horizontal dans l'intervalle compris entre le volet avant 48 et le poste de remplissage.The filling station B comprises a horizontal support plane having a rectangular central opening 99 with the same area as the opening 34 at the bottom of the container. Advantageously, said support plane is constituted by free rollers 95, rotating around horizontal, parallel and transverse axes relative to the movement of the conveyor. These rollers border the opening 99 and are at the same level as the side flaps 62, 64 and the front flap 48, so that during the transfer of the container from the training station A to the filling station B, the bottom flaps are constantly kept in the folded position without ever opening. Free rollers 96 (Figure 2) of transverse axis are also provided to ensure the continuity of said horizontal plane in the interval between the front flap 48 and the filling station.

A l'avant du poste de remplissage est monté un volet pivotant 98 jouant le même rôle que le volet avant 48 du poste de formation A, c'est-à-dire que lorsqu'il est en position verticale, il constitue une butée de positionnement du conteneur dans le poste de remplissage, et lorsqu'il est en position horizontale, il constitue un plan sur lequel le conteneur plein peut être glissé au cours de son transfert vers le poste de palettisation C.At the front of the filling station is mounted a pivoting flap 98 playing the same role as the front flap 48 of the training station A, that is to say that when in the vertical position, it constitutes a stop for positioning of the container in the filling station, and when in a horizontal position, it constitutes a plane on which the full container can be slid during its transfer to the palletizing station C.

Avec référence aux figures 7 et 8, sous le poste de remplissage est monté un piston 100 dont l'axe est confondu avec l'axe de symétrie de l'ouverture 99. La tige du piston est munie à son extrémité d'un patin central fixe 102, de forme rectangulaire allongée, et de quatre patins trapézoïdaux expansibles 104, 106, 108 et 110 disposés autour du patin 102 et situés tous dans le même plan horizontal.With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, under the filling station is mounted a piston 100 whose axis coincides with the axis of symmetry of the opening 99. The piston rod is provided at its end with a central pad fixed 102, of elongated rectangular shape, and four trapezoidal expandable pads 104, 106, 108 and 110 arranged around the pad 102 and all located in the same horizontal plane.

Les deux patins expansibles opposés 108, 110 sont prévus pour coulisser le long des deux tiges de guidage 112, 114 entre une position rétractée où ils sont accolés aux côtés longitudinaux du patin central 102 et une position expansée (illustrée sur les figures 7 et 8) où ils occupent pratiquement toute la section interne du conteneur.The two opposite expandable pads 108, 110 are provided to slide along the two guide rods 112, 114 between a retracted position where they are attached to the longitudinal sides of the central pad 102 and an expanded position (illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8) where they occupy practically the entire internal section of the container.

De la même façon, les patins opposés 104, 106 peuvent occuper une position rétractée et une position expansée montrée sur les figures 7 et 8 en coulissant sur deux tiges de guidage 116, 118. Dans la position rétractée des patins expansibles 104 à 110, ces derniers et le patin central 102 constituent une surface plane continue de surface légèrement inférieure à celle des ouvertures superposées 34 et 99 du fond du conteneur et du poste de remplissage.In the same way, the opposite pads 104, 106 can occupy a retracted position and an expanded position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 by sliding on two guide rods 116, 118. In the retracted position of the expanding pads 104 to 110, these the latter and the central shoe 102 constitute a continuous flat surface with a surface slightly smaller than that of the superimposed openings 34 and 99 of the bottom of the container and of the filling station.

Les patins expansibles 104, 106 d'une part, et 108,110 d'autre part, sont actionnés par deux mécanismes d'entraînement pratiquement identiques dont un exemple de réalisation non limitatif est représenté à la figure 8. Ce mécanisme comprend deux leviers coudés 120, 122 montés pivotants autour d'axes 124,126 passant par leur coude. Les extrémités de l'un de leurs bras sont articulées sur une bielle 128 tandis que les extrémités de leurs autres bras sont articulées sur des platines 130, 132 sur lesquelles sont fixés les patins expansibles 108, 110. Un vérin d'actionnement 134, articulé sur le châssis de l'installation et sur l'un des bras du levier 120 par exemple, est susceptible d'entraîner les platines 130, 132 et leurs patins associés 108, 110 dans des directions opposées. Ainsi, lorsque le vérin se raccourcit, le levier coudé 120 est entraîné en rotation autour de son axe 124 dans le sens des aiguilles d'une montre sur la figure 8, tandis que le levier coudé 122, tiré par la bielle 128, tourne dans le sens inverse des aiguilles d'une montre: les patins 108 et 110 se déplaceront donc l'un vers l'autre.The expandable pads 104, 106 on the one hand, and 108, 110 on the other hand, are actuated by two practically identical drive mechanisms of which a nonlimiting exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 8. This mechanism includes two bent levers 120, 122 mounted pivoting around axes 124,126 passing through their elbow. The ends of one of their arms are articulated on a connecting rod 128 while the ends of their other arms are articulated on plates 130, 132 on which the expandable pads 108, 110 are fixed. An actuating cylinder 134, articulated on the installation chassis and on one of the arms of the lever 120 for example, is capable of driving the plates 130, 132 and their associated pads 108, 110 in opposite directions. Thus, when the jack is shortened, the bent lever 120 is rotated about its axis 124 in a clockwise direction in FIG. 8, while the bent lever 122, pulled by the connecting rod 128, rotates in anticlockwise: the pads 108 and 110 will therefore move towards each other.

Un mécanisme analogue à celui qui vient d'être décrit est utilisé pour entraîner les patins 104,106.A mechanism similar to that which has just been described is used to drive the pads 104, 106.

Sur les patins à l'état expansé, une opératrice dépose une plaque de carton 136 de surface légèrement inférieure à la surface interne du fond du conteneur. Cette plaque est destinée à constituer le fond du conteneur après rétraction du piston, ainsi qu'on l'expliquera par la suite.On the pads in the expanded state, an operator deposits a cardboard plate 136 with a surface slightly smaller than the internal surface of the bottom of the container. This plate is intended to constitute the bottom of the container after retraction of the piston, as will be explained later.

Sur la figure 7, les parties de gauche et de droite montrent deux formats différents de conteneurs permettant une ajustabilité au produit conditionné.In FIG. 7, the parts on the left and on the right show two different formats of containers allowing adjustment to the packaged product.

Comme le montre la figure 6, le poste de remplissage B est équipé de part et d'autre du conteneur de deux chariots latéraux 138, 140 identiques au chariot latéral 72 du poste de formation A. Ces chariots portent des volets pousseurs 142, 144 (voir figure 5) montés pivotants entre une position rétractée où ils s'effacent latéralement dans une zone située en dehors du volume engendré lors du déplacement du conteneur et une position fermée où ils s'appliquent sur la paroi arrière d'un conteneur en place dans le poste de remplissage B.As shown in FIG. 6, the filling station B is equipped on either side of the container with two side carriages 138, 140 identical to the side car 72 of the training station A. These carts carry push flaps 142, 144 ( see Figure 5) pivotally mounted between a retracted position where they are laterally erased in an area outside the volume generated during the movement of the container and a closed position where they are applied to the rear wall of a container in place in filling station B.

Les chariots latéraux 72 et 138, qui sont situés d'un même côté des postes A et B, sont reliés par une bielle de liaison 146. Une chaîne 84 déjà représentée sur la figure 4 est fixée par ses extrémités 148, 150 sur les chariots 72, 138. Cette chaîne s'enroule pour former une boucle autour du pignon 82 (voir figures 4 et 6) et de deux pignons 152 et 154 montés au niveau du poste de formation A ou légèrement en amont de ce dernier. Un pignon 156 de position réglable assure la tension de la chaîne 84.The lateral carriages 72 and 138, which are located on the same side of the stations A and B, are connected by a connecting rod 146. A chain 84 already shown in Figure 4 is fixed by its ends 148, 150 on the carriages 72, 138. This chain is wound up to form a loop around the pinion 82 (see FIGS. 4 and 6) and of two pinions 152 and 154 mounted at the level of the training station A or slightly upstream of the latter. A pinion 156 of adjustable position ensures the tension of the chain 84.

De façon analogue, sur le chariot latéral 140 situé du côté opposé du poste de palettisation B est fixée par ses extrémités une chaîne sans fin 158, qui s'enroule autour de pignons 160,162,164 qui définissent un trajet rectiligne entre le poste B et le poste C, et autour d'un pignon 166 calé sur le même arbre 168 que celui du pignon 154. Ledit arbre est entraîné par un moteur non représenté.Similarly, on the side carriage 140 located on the opposite side of the palletizing station B is fixed by its ends an endless chain 158, which is wound around sprockets 160,162,164 which define a straight path between station B and station C, and around a pinion 166 wedged on the same shaft 168 as that of pinion 154. Said shaft is driven by a motor not shown.

Avantageusement, l'installation comprend deux enrouleurs 170, 172 destinés à enrouler les excédents de tuyaux flexibles 174, 176 servant à alimenter les différents vérins montés sur les chariots. Chacun desdits enrouleurs comprend une poulie fixe 178 située en amont de la position extrême du chariot 72 ou 140 vers la gauche et une poulie mobile 180 autour desquelles le tuyau 174 (ou 176) s'enroule en S, son extrémité d'alimentation 182 étant fixe. Un ressort de traction précontraint 184, ancré à un point fixe 186 et sur une chape 188 de la poulie 180, exerce sur cette dernière un effort qui tend à l'écarter de la poulie fixe 178. Lorsque les chariots 72,138 et 140 sont dans leur position normale montrée en trait plein à la figure 6, la pou - lie mobile 180 est rappelée par le ressort 184 vers sa position montrée également en trait plein, de sorte que le tuyau 174 est tendu et ne comporte aucune portion traînante. Si les chariots se déplacent vers la droite (le chariot 138 venant à la position en traits tiretés sur la figure 6), la réserve de tuyau 174 comprise entre les poutres 178,180 se déroule par le fait que la poulie mobile 180 se déplace vers la gauche sur la figure 6 jusqu'à sa position montrée en traits tiretés, le ressort 184 étant alors mis en traction.Advantageously, the installation comprises two reels 170, 172 intended to wind the surplus flexible hoses 174, 176 used to supply the various jacks mounted on the carriages. Each of said reels comprises a fixed pulley 178 located upstream of the extreme position of the carriage 72 or 140 to the left and a movable pulley 180 around which the pipe 174 (or 176) is wound in S, its supply end 182 being fixed. A prestressed tension spring 184, anchored to a fixed point 186 and on a yoke 188 of the pulley 180, exerts on the latter a force which tends to move it away from the fixed pulley 178. When the carriages 72, 138 and 140 are in their normal position shown in solid lines in FIG. 6, the movable pulley 180 is returned by the spring 184 to its position also shown in solid lines, so that the pipe 174 is stretched and has no trailing portion. If the carriages move to the right (the car 138 coming to the position in dashed lines in Figure 6), the reserve of pipe 174 between the beams 178,180 takes place by the fact that the movable pulley 180 moves to the left in Figure 6 to its position shown in dashed lines, the spring 184 is then put in tension.

Avec référence à présent aux figures 2 et 9, le poste d'approvisionnement en palettes D comprend une trémie 190 dans laquelle les palettes 192 peuvent être introduites une à une soit par un chariot à fourche à travers une ouverture latérale 194, soit par le haut par un magasin de distribution automatique de palettes.With reference now to Figures 2 and 9, the pallet supply station D includes a hopper 190 into which the pallets 192 can be introduced one by one either by a forklift through a side opening 194, or from above by an automatic pallet distribution store.

De part et d'autre des postes d'approvisionnement D et du poste de palettisation C s'étendent deux chaînes inférieures d'entraînement 196,198 supportées par des rails 199 et qui s'enroulent autour de pignons 200, 202. Chacune des chaînes porte un nombre prédéterminé de taquets 204 (quatre dans le cas de la figure 9) régulièrement espacés. Les chaînes 196, 198 sont entraînées en synchronisme pas à pas dans le sens de la flèche f sur la figure 9, chaque pas étant égal à la distance séparant les postes D, C et E l'un de l'autre. Les taquets 204 prenant appui sur la face arrière des palettes 192 peuvent donc introduire une palette vide du poste d'approvisionnement D vers le poste de palettisation C et évacuer la palette pleine de cette dernière vers le poste d'évacuation E.On either side of the supply stations D and the palletizing station C extend two lower drive chains 196,198 supported by rails 199 and which are wound around pinions 200, 202. Each of the chains carries a predetermined number of tabs 204 (four in the case of FIG. 9) regularly spaced. The chains 196, 198 are driven in stepwise synchronism in the direction of the arrow f in FIG. 9, each step being equal to the distance separating the positions D, C and E from each other. The tabs 204 resting on the rear face of the pallets 192 can therefore introduce an empty pallet from the supply station D to the palletizing station C and evacuate the full pallet from the latter to the evacuation station E.

De part et d'autre du poste d'approvisionnement D sont prévues deux chaînes supérieures 206,208 qui s'enroulent autour de pignons 210, 212 et qui peuvent tourner dans les deux sens. Sur le brin inférieur de ces chaînes est fixée une tôle plate de palettisation 214 réalisée en un matériau ayant un faible coefficient de frottement vis-à-vis du carton. Cette tôle repose sur une palette et est destinée à favoriser le glissement du contenur plein du poste de remplissage jusqu'à la palette en attente au poste de palettisation, comme on l'expliquera par la suite.On either side of the supply station D are provided two upper chains 206,208 which are wound around pinions 210, 212 and which can rotate in both directions. On the lower strand of these chains is fixed a flat palletizing sheet 214 made of a material having a low coefficient of friction with respect to the cardboard. This sheet rests on a pallet and is intended to promote the sliding of the full content of the filling station to the pallet waiting at the palletizing station, as will be explained later.

Comme le montre la figure 2, immédiatement en aval du volet avant 98 du poste de remplissage B est montée une plaque 215 qui peut pivoter librement autour d'un axe horizontal transversal 217. Cette plaque vient en appui par son bord libre sur la tôle de palettisation 214. Elle a pour rôles, d'une part, de former avec cette dernière et avec le volet avant 98 une surface plane continue sur laquelle le conteneur plein peut être glissé jusqu'au poste de palettisation et, d'autre part, de rattraper les variations de niveau de la tôle de palettisation 214, compte tenu du fait que les palettes 192 n'ont pas toutes rigoureusement la même hauteur.As shown in Figure 2, immediately downstream of the front flap 98 of the filling station B is mounted a plate 215 which can pivot freely around a transverse horizontal axis 217. This plate bears by its free edge on the sheet of palletizing 214. Its roles are, on the one hand, to form with the latter and with the front flap 98 a continuous flat surface on which the full container can be slid to the palletizing station and, on the other hand, catch up with the variations in level of the palletizing sheet 214, taking into account the fact that the pallets 192 do not all have exactly the same height.

Le mode de fonctionnement de l'installation sera expliqué à présent en regard des figures et plus particulièrement de la figure 5.The operating mode of the installation will now be explained with reference to the figures and more particularly to FIG. 5.

Une opératrice introduit au poste de formation A un emballage 10 qu'elle fait glisser par ses rabats de fond 20 à 26 ouverts sur le plan support 44 dudit poste (figure 2), en même temps qu'elle le met en forme de parallélépipède. Le conteneur ainsi formé vient en butée par sa paroi transversale avant contre le volet avant 48 qui se trouve à ce moment en position verticale et ses parois latérales viennent en appui contre les guides latéraux 52, 54 et supérieurs 56, 58 (figure 3) qui ont été préalablement adaptés au format et à la hauteur du conteneur. L'opératrice pousse l'emballage jusqu'à ce qu'il se verrouille par l'intermédiaire du verrou 68.An operator introduces into the training station A a package 10 which she slides by its bottom flaps 20 to 26 open on the support plane 44 of said station (FIG. 2), at the same time as it puts it into the shape of a parallelepiped. The container thus formed abuts by its front transverse wall against the front flap 48 which is at this time in a vertical position and its side walls come to bear against the lateral guides 52, 54 and upper 56, 58 (FIG. 3) which have been previously adapted to the size and height of the container. The operator pushes the packaging until it locks via lock 68.

Le poste A est alors dans l'état montré à la figure 5a.Station A is then in the state shown in Figure 5a.

L'opératrice enclenche ensuite le départ d'un cycle en actionnant une commande réservée à cet effet. Cette action déclenche successivement:

  • - la fermeture du volet pousseur 86 solidaire du chariot latéral 72 (figure 6), emprisonnant ainsi le conteneur vers l'arrière;
  • - l'injection d'une colle à temps ouvert très long sur les faces internes des rabats de fond 20 à 26 au moyen des injecteurs 92 (figure 3), cette opération étant toutefois facultative, comme il ressortira par la suite;
  • - la commande du pivotement des volets avant 48 et 98 et la sortie du coulisseau arrière 70, de façon à rabattre les rabats de fond 24, 26 vers leur position horizontale, et
  • - la commande du pivotement des volets latéraux 62, 64 vers leur position horizontale, ce qui a pour effet de rabattre les rabats de fond 20,22 vers leur position horizontale.
The operator then starts a cycle by activating a command reserved for this purpose. This action successively triggers:
  • - The closing of the pusher flap 86 secured to the lateral carriage 72 (FIG. 6), thus trapping the container towards the rear;
  • the injection of a very long open-time adhesive on the internal faces of the bottom flaps 20 to 26 by means of the injectors 92 (FIG. 3), this operation however being optional, as will become apparent below;
  • the control of the pivoting of the front flaps 48 and 98 and the output of the rear slider 70, so as to fold the bottom flaps 24, 26 towards their horizontal position, and
  • - Controlling the pivoting of the side flaps 62, 64 towards their horizontal position, which has the effect of folding the bottom flaps 20, 22 towards their horizontal position.

Le poste A est alors dans l'état montré à la figure 5b.Station A is then in the state shown in Figure 5b.

Le volet avant 48 étant escamoté, le conteneur est libéré. Le chariot 72 entraîne alors le conteneur vide au moyen de son volet 86 au poste de remplissage B. Le volet avant 98 se relève alors en position verticale pour servir de butée avant, en même temps que les chariots 138,140 qui se trouvent au poste B se déplacent à vide vers le poste de palettisation C. L'état des trois postes A, B et C est représenté à la figure 5c.The front flap 48 being retracted, the container is released. The carriage 72 then drives the empty container by means of its flap 86 to the filling station B. The front flap 98 is then raised in a vertical position to serve as a front stop, at the same time as the carriages 138, 140 which are located at station B move empty to the palletizing station C. The state of the three stations A, B and C is shown in Figure 5c.

Dès l'arrêt du conteneur vide au poste de remplissage B, la tige du piston 100 (figure 8) monte à travers l'ouverture inférieure du conteneur jusqu'à ce que ses patins arrivent à un niveau légèrement inférieur au bord supérieur du conteneur. Pendant cette montée, les quatre patins latéraux 104 à 110 s'expansent, venant occuper pratiquement toute la surface de l'ouverture supérieure du conteneur, comme on peut le voir sur les figures 5c et 8.As soon as the empty container stops at filling station B, the piston rod 100 (Figure 8) rises through the lower opening of the container until its pads arrive at a slight level. lower than the upper edge of the container. During this climb, the four lateral pads 104 to 110 expand, occupying practically the entire surface of the upper opening of the container, as can be seen in FIGS. 5c and 8.

L'opératrice dépose alors une plaque de fond en carton 136 (figure 8) qu'elle prélève dans un magasin de plaques situé à la portée de sa main, puis elle charge le premier niveau de produits, constitué par exemple par des paquets 220 arrivant sur un convoyeur d'alimentation 222 qui passe au-dessus des postes A, B et C (figure 2).The operator then deposits a cardboard bottom plate 136 (FIG. 8) which she takes from a plate store located within reach of her hand, then she loads the first level of products, constituted for example by packets 220 arriving on a feed conveyor 222 which passes over stations A, B and C (Figure 2).

Après garniture de ce premier niveau, l'opératrice appuie sur la commande qui assure la descente du piston d'une hauteur égale à celle de la première couche de produits. Cette opération se reproduit autant de fois qu'il est nécessaire.After filling this first level, the operator presses the control which lowers the piston from a height equal to that of the first layer of products. This operation is repeated as many times as necessary.

Lorsque le conteneur est aux trois quarts plein, ne risquant plus de se mettre en parallélogramme, le volet arrière 86 s'ouvre en s'effaçant latéralement. De même, les volets arrière 142, 144 des chariots s'ouvrent. L'état de ces volets est repé- senté à la figure 5d. L'ensemble des chariots 72, 138 et 140 (figure 6) reculent pour revenir respectivement à leur position initiale au poste de formation A et au poste de remplissage B. Les poste A, B et C sont alors dans l'état représenté à la figure 5e.When the container is three-quarters full, no longer running the risk of being placed in a parallelogram, the rear flap 86 opens, disappearing laterally. Similarly, the rear flaps 142, 144 of the carriages open. The state of these flaps is shown in Figure 5d. All of the carriages 72, 138 and 140 (FIG. 6) move back to return respectively to their initial position at the training station A and at the filling station B. The stations A, B and C are then in the state shown in the figure 5e.

En fin de remplissage, le piston s'arrête à faible distance au-dessus des rabats de fond, comme on peut le voir sur la figure 8. Les patins latéraux 104 à 110 se rétractent alors vers le patin central 102 et le piston finit sa course, appliquant la plaque de fond 136 sur les points de colle 94 qui ont été déposés sur les rabats de fond.At the end of filling, the piston stops a short distance above the bottom flaps, as can be seen in FIG. 8. The lateral shoes 104 to 110 then retract towards the central shoe 102 and the piston finishes its stroke, applying the bottom plate 136 to the dots of glue 94 which have been deposited on the bottom flaps.

Pendant que s'effectuent la descente et la rétraction des patins, l'opératrice introduit un nouvel emballage 10 au poste de formation A. Dès qu'elle initialise un nouveau cycle, le grand volet 86 du poste A et les deux petits volets du poste B se referment. Les deux volets avant 48 et 98 qui servent de butées s'effacent, de sorte que le chariot 72 (figure 6) peut pousser le conteneur vide du poste de formation A vers le poste de remplissage B et que les deux chariots 138,140 poussent simultanément le conteneur plein qui se trouve au poste B vers le poste de palettisation C. Un cycle de fonctionnement est ainsi bouclé.While the skates are being lowered and retracted, the operator introduces new packaging 10 at training station A. As soon as she initiates a new cycle, the large flap 86 of post A and the two small flaps of the post B closes. The two front flaps 48 and 98 which serve as stops disappear, so that the carriage 72 (FIG. 6) can push the empty container from the training station A to the filling station B and the two carriages 138, 140 simultaneously push the full container located at station B towards the palletizing station C. An operating cycle is thus completed.

Au cours de son transfert, le conteneur plein glisse sans à-coups sur le plan horizontal continu formé par le volet avant 98, qui est en position horizontale (figure 2), par la plaque 215 et la tôle de palettisation 214 qui se trouve alors en position au poste de palettisation C (en trait plein sur la figure 9). Ces trois éléments sont de préférence réalisés en une matière ayant un bon coefficient de frottement vis-à-vis du carton, par exemple en acier.During its transfer, the full container slides smoothly on the continuous horizontal plane formed by the front flap 98, which is in the horizontal position (Figure 2), by the plate 215 and the pallet sheet 214 which is then in position at the palletizing station C (in solid lines in Figure 9). These three elements are preferably made of a material having a good coefficient of friction with respect to the cardboard, for example steel.

Les chaînes supérieures 206,208 (figures 2 et 9) sont alors entraînées dans le sens inverse des aiguilles d'une montre sur la figure 9, de sorte qu'elles tirent la tôle de palettisation 214. Celle-ci glisse entre le conteneur plein 10 et la palette 192 qui porte ce dernier. Dans ce mouvement, la palette est retenue par les taquets 204 et le conteneur par une butée fixe 226. En reculant ainsi, la tôle de palettisation vient recouvrir la palette 192' qui a été préalablement déposée au poste d'approvisionnement D. Cette position de la tôle de palettisation est représentée en traits tiretés sur la figure 9.The upper chains 206,208 (FIGS. 2 and 9) are then driven anticlockwise in FIG. 9, so that they pull the pallet sheet 214. This slides between the full container 10 and the pallet 192 which carries the latter. In this movement, the pallet is retained by the tabs 204 and the container by a fixed stop 226. By thus moving back, the palletizing sheet covers the pallet 192 'which has been previously deposited at the supply station D. This position of the pallet sheet is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 9.

Les chaînes inférieures 196, 198 portant les taquets 214 sont alors mises en mouvement dans le sens inverse des aiguilles d'une montre sur la figure 9, en même temps que les chaînes supérieures 206, 208 qui entraînent la tôle de palettisation. Dans ce mouvement, les chaînes inférieures entraînent par l'intermédiaire de leurs taquets, d'une part le conteneur plein et sa palette 192 depuis le poste C vers le poste d'évacuation E, et, d'autre part, la palette vide 192' recouverte de la tôle de palettisation du poste d'approvisionnement D vers le poste de palettisation C.The lower chains 196, 198 carrying the tabs 214 are then set in anticlockwise movement in FIG. 9, at the same time as the upper chains 206, 208 which drive the pallet sheet. In this movement, the lower chains drive, through their cleats, on the one hand the full container and its pallet 192 from station C towards the evacuation station E, and, on the other hand, the empty pallet 192 covered with the pallet sheet from supply station D to pallet station C.

L'ajustabilité de l'installation pour passer d'un format de palette à un autre format s'effectue en déplaçant les contacts d'arrêt des chaînes à taquets et en déplaçant d'autant la butée de retenue 226 du conteneur. La figure 9 montre en traits tiretés le format d'un conteneur plus petit, la position d'arrêt correspondante des taquets et la position correspondante de la butée.The adjustability of the installation for changing from one pallet format to another format is effected by moving the stop contacts of the cleat chains and by moving the retaining stop 226 of the container accordingly. Figure 9 shows in dashed lines the format of a smaller container, the corresponding stop position of the tabs and the corresponding position of the stop.

L'installation selon l'invention permet donc d'effectuer le chargement à niveau constant d'un conteneur à fond ouvert, ce dernier étant pourvu d'une simple plaque de carton ou de tout autre matériau en guise de fond et étant monté sur un support de manutention standard ou non du commerce. Le fond du conteneur ne risque à aucun moment de se déformer puisqu'il repose constamment sur une surface plane. Cela permet également de supprimer les pieds dont les conteneurs connus de ce type étaient équipés.The installation according to the invention therefore makes it possible to carry out the loading at a constant level of a container with an open bottom, the latter being provided with a simple cardboard plate or any other material as a bottom and being mounted on a standard or non-commercial handling support. The bottom of the container does not risk deformation at any time since it constantly rests on a flat surface. This also makes it possible to remove the feet with which the known containers of this type were equipped.

Il va de soi que de nombreuses modifications de détails peuvent être apportées à l'installation qui vient d'être décrite. Par exemple, toutes les opérations manuelles peuvent être automatisées.It goes without saying that many modifications of details can be made to the installation which has just been described. For example, all manual operations can be automated.

Claims (9)

1. Installation for opening out, filling and pal- letising containers of the type comprising a parallelepipedic case (10) of square or rectangular section, which is open at its two ends and whose bottom is reduced to four peripheral bottom flaps (20, 22,24,26) pivotally connected to the side walls of the container, comprising a filling station (B) with a vertical piston (100) for supporting a plate (136) intended to form the bottom of the container, characterised in that it comprises:
- an introduction and formation station (A) into which the container (10) which is initially formed by a blank in the form of a flattened parallelogram is manually introduced and then opened out to assume a parallelepipedic shape, its bottom flaps (20 to 26) remaining in a vertical open position, said station comprising means (48, 68) for holding the container in its parallelepipedic shape, means (48, 62, 64, 70) for lifting the bottom flaps to a horizontal position and optionally means (92) for glueing the internal faces of the bottom flaps,
- the filling station (B) disposed downstream of the formation station comprising:
· a horizontal plane formed for example by a series of free rollers (95) on which the container rests by way of its folded-over bottom flaps and which delimit a central opening (99) of an area substantially equal to that (34) of the opening remaining in the bottom of the contour,
. the vertical piston (100) which is provided at the end of its rod with flat elements (102 to 110) capable of expanding in the horizontal plane from a contracted position in which, when the piston is retracted, they form an area slightly less than that of said opening (34) in the bottom of the container and whose upper common plane is disposed at the same level as that of said rollers (95), to an expanded position in which they occupy practically the entire internal section of the container, wherein said flat elements can support over its entire surface the plate (136) which is intended to form the bottom of the container,
- a palletisation station (C) which is disposed downstream of the filling station at a distance therefrom equal to that separating the formation station and the filling station and which is supplied with pallets (192), each pallet in position having its upper surface substantially at the same level as the plane of the free rollers (95),
- a horizontal transfer plate (215) ensuring continuity between the plane of the free rollers and that of the pallet,
- at least a first carriage (72) which is normally in the formation station (A) and which is actuated sequentially with a forward movement in which it entrains an empty container from the ormation station to the filling station and a return movement in the empty condition to the formation station;
- at least a second carriage (138,140) which is normally at the filling station and which is displaced synchronously with the first carriage (72) so as simultaneously to entrain a loaded container from the filling station (B) to the palletisation station (C) and to return empty to the filling station,
- a pallet supply station (D),
- a discharge station (E) for discharge of full containers mounted on a pallet,
- a palletisation plate member (214) which covers the pallet which is in position at the palletisation station and on to which the full container arriving from the filling station is pushed, said plate member being capable of being slid alone in such a way that the container is deposited on the pallet, said last two elements being retained by abutments (226, 204), and
- a conveying device (206, 208) which is intended to entrain simultaneously and in a stepwise manner an empty pallet (192') from the supply station (D) to the palletisation station (C) and a pallet (192) carrying a loaded container from the palletisation station to the discharge station.
2. An installation according to claim 1, characterised in that the installation when viewed in plan is in the form of a T-shape formed by two perpen- diculartreatment lines having the palletisation station in common, the first treatment line comprising in series the formation station (A), the filling station (B) and the palletisation station (C) and the second line comprising the supply station (D), the palletisation station (C) and the discharge station (E).
3. An installation according to claim 1, characterised in that said means for holding the container in shape comprise upper (56, 58) and lateral (52, 54) longitudinal guides which bear respectively against the longitudinal edges of the upper opening of the container and the longitudinal walls of the container, a front plate (48) which is transverse in direction with respect to the direction of displacement of the conveyor so as to serve as an abutment for the front wall of the container, and a lock member (68) which comes to bear against the rear wall of the container so as to prevent it from returning to a flattened shape.
4. An installation according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said front plate (48) is pivoted horizontally about a transverse axis (50) between a position in which it is vertical and serves as a front abutment and a position in which it is positioned horizontally at the same level as the horizontal plane of the filling station, the rear portion of said plate then raising the bottom flap (26) which is pivoted on the front transverse wall of the container while the front portion assumes a position of filling the gap between the formation station (A) and the filling station (B) to permit the sliding movement of the container.
5. An installation according to claim 1, characterised in that said means for lifting the bottom flaps also comprise two lateral flap members (62, 64) which are pivoted horizontally about parallel longitudinal axes between a retracted vertical position and a horizontal position in which they lift the bottom flaps (20, 22) which border the longitudinal walls of the container, and a rear slider (70) which in the active position raises the bottom flap (24) which borders the rear transverse wall of the container.
6. An installation according to claim 1, characterised in that each of the first carriage or carriages (72) and second carriage or carriages (138, 140) is formed by a chassis (74) guided movably by guide rails (78,80) which extend along the lateral edge of the formation station and the filling station, said chassis being provided with a thrust flap member (86; 142,144) mounted pivotally abouta a vertical axis (88) between an extended position in which it bears against the rear wall (16) of the container and a retracted position in which it is positioned laterally outside the path of movement of the container on the traetment line comprising in series the formation station (A), the filling station (B) and the palletisation station (C).
7. An installation according to one of claims 1 and 6, characterised in that mounted at the formation station is a single carriage (72) provided with a thrust flap member (86) which is capable of being applied over the entire width of the rear wall of the container, and that mounted at the filling station are two carriages (138, 140) disposed on respective sides of the container, said carriages each being provided with a flap member (142, 144) which is capable of being aplied over half the width of the rear wall of the container.
8. An installation according to claim 7, characterised in that said first carriage (72) and said two second carriages (138, 140) are fixed together in respect of movement thereof by means of a movement transmission system comprising:
- a first chain (84) fixed at its two ends respectively to the first carriage (72) and the second carriage (138) which is on the same side and which passes around pinions (82,152,154), one pinion (154) being a drive pinion,
- a rigid connection such as a rod (146) connecting said first carriage and said second carriage which is on the same side as the first carriage, said connection being of a length equal to the distance separating one of the stations of the first treatment line from the following station,and
- endless chain (158) which is connected at its two ends to the third carriage (140) which is disposed on the opposite side to the second carriage with respect to the container, said chain passing around pinions, one of which is fixed on the same shaft as the drive pinion associated with the first chain, the direction of winding of the two chains being such that the three carriages are entrained synchronously in the same direction.
9. An installation according to claim 1, characterised in that extending on respective sides of the palletisation station (C) and supply station (D) are two lower drive chains (196, 198) carrying lugs (204) and which are entrained by a stepping motor, said lugs (204) being capable of bearing against pallets so as to introduce an empty pallet (192') from the supply station (D) to the palletisation station (E) and to discharge a pallet (192) carrying a full container from the palletisation station to the discharge station (E), and two upper chains (206, 208) which are parallel to the lower chains and which can turn in the two directions, the lower run of said upper chains being connected to the flat palletisation plate member (214) which is normally supported by an empty pallet, said upper chains being capable of turning in a first direction at the same time as the lower chains so that the palletisation plate member (214) is transferred with the empty pallet (192') to the palletisation station and then in an opposite direction so as to return the palletisation plate member to the supply station, the full container (192) in position in the palletisation station then being retained by an abutment (226).
EP86401074A 1985-06-07 1986-05-22 Apparatus for erecting, filling and paletising containers Expired EP0204606B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT86401074T ATE34138T1 (en) 1985-06-07 1986-05-22 DEVICE FOR ERECTING, FILLING AND PALLETIZING CONTAINERS.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8508676A FR2583019B1 (en) 1985-06-07 1985-06-07 PLANT FOR VOLUME, FILLING AND PALLETIZATION OF CONTAINERS
FR8508676 1985-06-07

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0204606A1 EP0204606A1 (en) 1986-12-10
EP0204606B1 true EP0204606B1 (en) 1988-05-11

Family

ID=9320011

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP86401074A Expired EP0204606B1 (en) 1985-06-07 1986-05-22 Apparatus for erecting, filling and paletising containers

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0204606B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE34138T1 (en)
DE (1) DE3660186D1 (en)
ES (1) ES8704411A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2583019B1 (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2226979A (en) * 1989-01-16 1990-07-18 Peter Ellice Elford Package forming apparatus
CN110448178B (en) * 2019-07-26 2021-04-20 广州忘情椒水科技有限公司 Grading and quantitative taking method for shared direct drinking mineral water machine

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2267244A1 (en) * 1974-04-11 1975-11-07 Hermier Gonzague Automatic packaging device using cartons - has pivotal table erecting blanks and vertically movable platform
FR2387882A1 (en) * 1977-04-20 1978-11-17 Martin Sa Package handling equipment for loading pallets - has beams to lift package for pallet to be inserted from below

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0204606A1 (en) 1986-12-10
ATE34138T1 (en) 1988-05-15
FR2583019B1 (en) 1987-09-18
ES555362A0 (en) 1987-04-16
DE3660186D1 (en) 1988-06-16
ES8704411A1 (en) 1987-04-16
FR2583019A1 (en) 1986-12-12

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