EP0288371A1 - Apparatus for the automatic elimination of a group of objects to be treated, of which at least one is missing or is defective - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for automatically eliminating a group of objects to be treated, at least one of which is missing or defective in this group. The apparatus of this invention essentially comprises a detection cell (4) located above the objects or containers (R) transported by a conveyor (C), a storage magazine (13) for these containers, located next to the detection cell (4), and pushers (9, 10) located to the right of the store (13) below the containers (R) transported by the conveyor (C). This device is particularly applicable to machines for packaging cups intended for example to contain a foodstuff.

Description

The present invention essentially relates to a process for the automatic elimination of a group of objects, such as for example containers or cups, at least one of which is missing or defective in this group.

It also relates to an apparatus for implementing this process as well as a container packaging machine equipped with this apparatus.

There have long been machines for automatic packaging of containers or cups comprising a conveyor with two endless chains or the like between which are mounted supports suitable for receiving containers to be packaged. Above the conveyor are arranged various successive stations allowing the packaging of the containers and such as for example a station for unstacking and depositing the containers on the conveyor, a station for filling the containers and a station for closing the containers by heat sealing a cover for example.

However, there are often problems with unstacking and depositing containers or cups on the conveyor. Indeed, it sometimes happens that the unstacking operation is not carried out properly, so that the conveyor receives two or more cups stacked and wedged one inside the other. Also, it happens that, in the line of cups deposited on the conveyor, one of these cups is missing or is defective.

If therefore such an incident occurs, it is understood that the operations which the containers must undergo subsequently disturb the operation of the machine and the packaging operation. Indeed, if a cup is missing, it is understood that the filling will be carried out directly on the conveyor, which risks damaging it, not to mention the dirt that will result. The same kind of inconvenience will result if the cup is pierced, deformed or defective. Furthermore, if several cups are stuck in each other, there will be snagging and rupturing of the cups at the closure station, that is to say when the cup is applied against a heat sealing head.

It is therefore advisable, when there is a fault on a line or group of cups deposited on the conveyor before filling, to eliminate this group or this line of cups entirely to avoid disturbing the operation of the machine. So far, no system has been proposed for this purpose.

Also, the present invention proposes to fill this gap by proposing a method and an apparatus for automatic elimination of a group of containers, this apparatus being of a simple and reliable mechanical design in terms of operation.

To this end, the object of the invention is a method of automatically eliminating a group of objects, such as for example containers or cups of which at least one is missing or defective in this group, which group is part of several groups of objects or containers transported one after the other by a conveyor or the like to undergo various operations, characterized in that after having detected the defect or lack of at least one object or container in a group of objects transported by the conveyor, the whole group of objects is pushed through this conveyor, and it is stored in a store above the conveyor to eventually recycle the non-defective objects of the group in question.

This invention also relates to an apparatus for implementing this method, characterized in that it comprises at least one detection means, such as for example a cell, located above the objects or containers to be transported by a conveyor or similar, a container storage store located next to the detection means and pushers located to the right of this store below the objects or containers transported by the conveyor.

This device is further characterized in that the aforementioned pushers consist of the rod of actuators actuable by the detection means and the body of which is connected to the output shaft of a geared motor group by means of a connecting rod-crank system.

It will also be specified that the output shaft of the geared motor group is also connected, by another connecting rod-crank system, to pushers capable of passing through the upper strand of the conveyor in order to deposit the objects or containers thereon.

The invention also relates to a packaging machine comprising at least one endless chain conveyor or the like allowing the transport of containers, such as for example goblets scrolling under a succession of positions, for example unstacking, filling and for closing containers, characterized in that it comprises an apparatus meeting the above characteristics and located after the unstacking station.

But other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear better in the detailed description which follows and refers to the single appended figure given solely by way of example, and showing schematically and in elevation an apparatus in accordance with the invention and associated to a cup conveyor to be packaged.

According to an exemplary embodiment, and with reference to the attached single figure, an apparatus according to the invention is located under the upper strand 2 of a conveyor C with chains or the like passing around toothed wheels 1 and between which are fixed plates or the like comprising orifices capable of receiving lines of containers or cups R intended to be packaged.

Above the upper strand 2 of the conveyor C are provided successive stations and such as for example a unstacking station 3 and other stations which have not been shown, because they are not part of the present invention.

The apparatus according to this invention comprises, downstream of the unstacking station 3, a detection means, such as a cell 4, located above the upper strand 2 of the conveyor C, and a geared motor group 5 located in- below upper strand 2 of conveyor C.

The output shaft 6 of the geared motor group 5 is connected by a connecting rod-crank system 7 to the body 8 of a jack whose rod 9 has at its end a pusher 10.

The output shaft of the geared motor group 5 is also connected by another rod-crank system 7a to pushers constituted by a simple rod 12 whose end is provided with a pushbutton 11.

As can be clearly seen in the figure, the pushers 10 and 11 are located on either side of the geared motor group 5.

More specifically, the rod 12 and its associated pusher 11 are located to the right of the unstacking station 3, while the rod 9 of the actuator 8 and its associated pusher 10 are located under the upper strand 2 of the conveyor C, to the right of a storage magazine 13 arranged above the upper strand 2 of the conveyor C and following the unstacking station 3.

The apparatus which has just been described operates in the following manner.

A line of containers or cups R is unstacked from station 3 and picked up by pushers 11 which deposit it on the transverse supports integral with the chains of the conveyor C.

This being done, the line of cups R, transported by the conveyor C passes in front of the cell 4. If no defect or lack is detected by the cell in this line of containers, said line is then routed to the next station which n 'is not shown, but which can be for example a container filling station.

If on the other hand a fault or a lack is detected by the cell 4, the latter will control the exit of the rod 9 of the jack 8, so that the pushers 10 will push from below the whole line of containers R to convey it, to the through the upper strand 2 of the conveyor C, in the storage magazine 13. This storage can be carried out in any suitable manner, for example by latching the containers in the magazine 13. The cups thus stored can be conveniently recovered and recycled as regards obviously concerns those who are not defective.

Of course, after elimination of a line of cups R as explained above, the conveyor plate in front of the supports will pass in front of the following filling and heat-sealing stations, which stations, controlled by an automatic machine, will obviously not be activated.

Returning to the single appended figure, it can be seen that the rod 12 has a fixed length, while the actuator 8 and its associated rod 9 constitute, in a way, an extendable push button. In other words, if no defect or lack is detected by the cell 4, the jack 8 will oscillate due to the presence of the rod-crank system 7, but the rod 9 being retracted, there will be no action on the cups R, while at each rotation of the shaft 6, the rod 12 and its associated pusher 11 will appear under a line of containers R at station 3 to deposit this line of containers on the upper strand 2 of the conveyor.

On the other hand, if a defect or lack is detected in the line of cups R after depositing on the conveyor, the rod 9 will come out of the cylinder body 8 so as to push the line of containers R in the magazine 13 under the effect of the rotation of the output shaft 6 of the gear motor group 5.

Of course, it is perfectly possible, without departing from the scope of the invention, to provide a system other than that shown for pushing the containers R into the storage magazine 13.

This means that the invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and illustrated, which has been given only by way of example.

On the contrary, the invention includes all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if these are carried out according to its spirit.

Claims (4)

1. Apparatus for automatically eliminating a group of objects, such as for example containers or cups of which at least one is missing or defective in this group, and of the type comprising at least one detection means (4) , such as for example a cell, located above the objects or receptacles (R) transported by a conveyor or the like (C), characterized by a store (13) for storing receptacles to be disposed of situated next to the detection means ( 4) and by pushers (10) located to the right of this store below objects or containers transported by the conveyor and constituted by the rod (9) of actuators actuable by said detection means (4). 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the body (8) of the aforementioned cylinders is connected to the output shaft (6) of a geared motor group (5) via a connecting rod system - crank (7). 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the output shaft of the geared motor group (5) is also connected, by another rod-crank system (7a) to pushers (11) capable of passing through the upper strand (2) of the conveyor (C) for depositing objects or containers thereon. 4. Packaging machine comprising at least one conveyor (C) with chains or the like endless allowing the transport of containers (R), such as for example cups scrolling under a succession of positions for example unstacking (3), filling , and for closing the containers, characterized in that it comprises an apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 3, located after the unstacking station (3).

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