EP0647927A1 - Automatic object dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

Automatic object-dispensing device comprising object-storage means and dispensing means, the said device including a mechanism for parting a row of objects, comprising a means of ejection (5) following a closed circuit, the said means of ejection acting on each circuit lap on the object situated at one end of the row of objects, characterised in that the said ejection finger (5) comprises a pusher (6) and, behind the latter, a roller (10) protruding out from the closed circuit, beyond the upper plane of the said pusher. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an automatic device for dispensing objects whose dimensions and consistency are variable.

The traditional systems currently used to distribute this kind of object are based on a principle of storage separate from the objects, which storage is generally done horizontally.

These traditional systems have drawbacks linked to the difficulty of recharging a horizontal system and the low charge rate. In addition, the range of variation of the dimensions of the objects handled is small and does not allow the charge rate to be adapted according to the objects.

It has been proposed in patent FR-A-1,100,145, an automatic device for dispensing objects with vertical storage comprising a mechanism for sectioning a stack of objects acting on the object located at the base of said stack of objects. However, this device has the drawback of not being suitable for dispensing fragile or deformable objects. Indeed, due to the vertical storage of objects, the object located at the base of the stack substantially supports the weight of the rest of the stack. Thus, when the object at the base of the stack is distributed, a friction is created between it and the object located immediately above, this friction being all the more important as the stack of objects is large. There is therefore a risk of deterioration of one or both of the objects in question during the distribution process.

The object of the present invention is to avoid the above drawbacks, that is to say to produce a device which is simple in its construction and its operation, making it possible moreover to distribute objects whose intrinsic rigidity is low.

The device, object of the invention, allows the storage and confinement of a row of objects, deposited against a sectioning device of the row making it possible to extract without risking damaging the object located at one end of the row and lead it into a delivery receptacle.

The present invention therefore relates to an automatic object distribution device comprising means for storing objects and means of distribution, said device comprising a sectioning mechanism for row of objects, comprising an ejection means traversing a circuit closed, said ejection means acting at each circuit turn on the object located at one end of the row of objects, characterized in that said ejection means comprises a pusher and at the rear thereof, a caster projecting outward from the closed circuit, beyond the upper plane of said pusher.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ejection means is an ejector finger secured to a transmission means forming a closed circuit around at least two wheels, said wheels being free to rotate about their respective axis, a driving torque being applied to the axis of one of the wheels to drive the transmission means, and consequently the ejector finger, along said closed circuit.

Advantageously, the transmission means is a closed chain and the wheels are toothed wheels.

According to another embodiment, the transmission means is a toothed belt and the wheels are grooved wheels.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the row of objects is placed in a storage column adjustable in height, width and depth and whose base forming the object row support is perforated in its center to allow the passage of the ejection means.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, two mechanisms for sectioning the row of objects are joined, the two ejector fingers moving in synchronization and acting simultaneously on the object to be ejected at two distinct points.

Preferably, said stack of objects extends vertically above said object row sectioning mechanism.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of an embodiment given by way of indication and not limiting with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une forme de réalisation d'un dispositif de distribution selon la présente invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective du mécanisme de sectionnement de la rangée d'objets avec son support de rangée,
• la figure 3 représente le mécanisme de sectionnement et d'éjection selon la présente invention,
• la figure 4 est une vue sous un autre angle du mécanisme représenté sur la figure 3,
• la figure 5 est une représentation schématique du système montrant une éjection en cours, et
• la figure 6 est une vue en perspective d'une autre forme de réalisation du système, objet de l'invention.

In the drawings:

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a dispensing device according to the present invention,
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sectioning mechanism for the row of objects with its row support,
• FIG. 3 represents the sectioning and ejection mechanism according to the present invention,
• FIG. 4 is a view from another angle of the mechanism shown in FIG. 3,
• FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the system showing an ejection in progress, and
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the system, object of the invention.

The present invention relates to an automatic object distribution device which may include rows of objects of all orientations, but only the embodiments relating to rows of vertical objects, hereinafter referred to as stack of objects, will be described in detail below.

The device shown in Figure 1 comprises two flanges 1 and 1 'of substantially rectangular shape. The flanges are positioned vertically so as to be approximately parallel with respect to each other and they can be moved vertically and transversely to allow adjustment of the spacing existing between said flanges 1 and 1 '. The two flanges 1 and 1 'each have a fixing flange to allow the fixing of said flanges inside the dispenser.

On these flanges 1 and 1 ′ can be fixed brackets 2 and 2 ′ protruding inside the space existing between said flanges. These brackets are substantially perpendicular to the flanges and extend over their entire height, one opposite the other, to form a retaining stop for the stack of objects. A vertical storage column is thus obtained making it possible to confine the objects, this column being adaptable to objects of different dimensions, depending on the spacing between the flanges 1 and 1 'and the positioning of the brackets 2 and 2' on said flanges .

In addition, a key 3 and 3 'can be attached to each flange. These polarizers 3 and 3 'each include a fixing plate, provided with fixing means allowing an adjustable positioning, and a tab projecting perpendicularly to said flanges 1 and 1', said polarizers 3 and 3 'being fixed on the side where the object to distribute is ejected. The positioning of said polarizing pins 3 and 3 ′ with respect to the support 4 on which the object located at the bottom of the stack rests, and which is intended to be ejected, is provided as a function of the thickness of said object, in order to leave pass only one, and retain the object located above, and with it all the remaining stack.

The stack of objects to be distributed is therefore placed in the space delimited on the sides by the flanges 1 and 1 ', in the background by the brackets 2 and 2', on the front by the polarizing pins 3 and 3 'and at the base of said cell by a cell support 4. The maximum height of the stack of objects is determined by the height of the flanges 1 and 1 '.

The battery holder 4 is fixed horizontally under said flanges 1 and 1 '. It comprises a fin intended to fix it inside the distributor, said fin comprising fixing means allowing adjustable vertical positioning. Advantageously, these fixing means can be oblong holes.

Said battery support 4 is perforated in its center over its entire length to allow the passage of an ejection element which cooperates with the object located at the bottom of the battery to eject it. The support 4 also advantageously comprises means for detecting the presence of an object or a stack of objects in the dispenser.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, this detection means comprises a strip 16 compressed by the stack of objects and which actuates a detection element when there are no more objects in the storage column.

Under the battery holder 4 is the mechanism for cutting the stack of objects. Such a mechanism, according to an embodiment of the invention, is shown, with the battery support 4, in FIG. 2 and without the battery support 4 in FIGS. 3 and 4.

This sectioning mechanism comprises a support plate 7 which is fixed in the dispenser by means of a fin comprising at least one hole. This support plate 7 is preferably vertical and extends in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the flanges 1 and 1 '. It supports an ejection means which traverses a closed circuit.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, this ejection means is an ejector finger 5. Said finger is integral with a transmission means which forms a closed circuit. This transmission means can advantageously be a closed chain 9 which supports the ejector finger 5. Said chain 9 forms a closed circuit by connecting at least two wheels 8 and 8 'free to rotate about their respective axis. Said wheels 8 and 8 ′, preferably identical, are fixed to the upper part of the support plate 7. Advantageously, the axes of said wheels 8 and 8 ′ are in the same horizontal plane. Thus, the points of the chain 9 effect a linear displacement between said two wheels 8 and 8 ′ following the application of a driving torque to the axis of one of the wheels.

In one embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the support plate 7 of the cutting mechanism comprises a third wheel 8 '' fixed to said support plate 7 below the horizontal plane which contains the axes of the two wheels 8 and 8 '. The closed chain 9 thus forms a closed circuit having approximately a triangular shape, the engine torque being able in this case to be applied to the axis of the third wheel 8 ''.

The ejector finger 5 comprises a plate by means of which it is fixedly mounted on the chain 9. Advantageously, said plate is substantially vertical and extends at its top into a pusher 6, at the rear of which is mounted a caster 10 whose height of the highest point exceeds that of the upper plane of said pusher 6.

Advantageously, the pusher 6 has, on its side intended to come into contact with the object to be dispensed, a concave profile as well as at its top, a horizontal tab whose front is curved downward.

Said ejector finger 5, integral with the chain 9, therefore traverses a closed circuit and passes through the cut made in the battery holder 4 to cooperate with the object placed on said support 4.

The parallelism of the upper plane of the ejector finger 5 and of the battery support 4 during the movement of said ejector finger 5 between the axes of the wheels 8 and 8 ′ is ensured by a clamp 11 fixed to the support plate 7.

This clamp 11 comprises two horizontal jaws which are placed above and below the chain 9, a puck, preferably made of nylon, which can be placed between said jaws and said chain to ensure optimum sliding.
The possibility of variable vertical positioning of the battery holder 4 makes it possible to adjust the portion of the ejector finger 5 projecting above said battery holder 4, as a function of the thickness of the object to be dispensed.

The invention, according to a preferred embodiment, therefore comprises a mechanism for cutting off a stack of objects comprising three wheels 8, 8 'and 8' ', one of them being driving, said wheels being connected by a closed chain 9 which supports an ejector finger 5, said ejector finger 5 performing a linear horizontal movement when it acts on the object to be dispensed. The stack of objects to be distributed is placed in a vertical storage column located above the sectioning mechanism, said column being adjustable in height, width and depth, according to the dimensions of the object and comprising a base, forming the support. stack 4, perforated in its center to allow the passage of said ejector finger 5.

When the system is activated, the ejector finger 5 pushes the object P1 located at the base of the stack of objects, as shown in FIG. 5. This object P1 can move because it is not retained by the polarizing device 3. The roller 10 lifts the stack of products remaining in the storage column, which has the effect of replacing the sliding resistance force of two surfaces resulting from the pressure exerted by the object P2 on the object P1, by the rolling resistance force of the caster 10 on the surface of the object P2. The force tending to keep the object P1 in the stack is therefore greatly reduced, which has the consequence of proportionally reducing the risk of deformation of both the object P1 and the object P2 following the thrust of the ejector finger 5. When the object P1 has been ejected, the ejector finger 5 traverses the closed circuit of the sectioning mechanism and comes back to its initial position.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6. This implementation is particularly advantageous when there are objects to be dispensed of larger dimensions but of small thickness, such as for example sheets of cardboard.

In this case, two sectioning mechanisms are joined by the axes 15 and 15 '. The movement resulting from the motor torque applied to one of the axes 15 or 15 ′ is transmitted simultaneously to the two ejector fingers 5 which move in synchronized fashion. Said ejector fingers are, in this embodiment, of reduced dimensions to adapt to the objects to be dispensed. The force moving the object to be ejected is therefore applied at two points on the object, which avoids rotation of the latter around a single ejector finger 5 which would not be centered on the object.

Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art to the devices which have just been described by way of nonlimiting examples without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

1. An automatic object distribution device comprising means for storing objects and distribution means, said device comprising a sectioning mechanism for row of objects, comprising an ejection means (5) traversing a closed circuit, said ejection means acting at each circuit turn on the object located at one end of the row of objects, characterized in that said ejection finger (5) comprises a pusher (6) and at the rear of the latter, a caster (10) projecting towards the outside of the closed circuit, beyond the upper plane of said pusher. 2. An automatic object distribution device according to claim 1, in which the ejection means is an ejector finger (5) secured to a transmission means forming a closed circuit around at least two wheels (8 and 8 '), said wheels being free to rotate about their respective axis, a driving torque being applied to the axis of one of the wheels to drive the transmission means, and consequently the ejector finger (5), along of said closed circuit. 3. An automatic object distribution device according to claim 2, wherein the transmission means is a closed chain (9) and the wheels (8, 8 ') are toothed wheels. 4. An automatic object distribution device according to claim 2, in which the transmission means is a toothed belt and the wheels are grooved wheels. 5. An automatic object distribution device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the row of objects is placed in a storage column adjustable in height, width and depth and whose base forming the support (4) row of objects is perforated in its center to allow the passage of the ejection means (5). 6. An automatic object distribution device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which two object row sectioning mechanisms are secured, the two ejection means (5) moving synchronously and acting simultaneously. on the object to be ejected at two separate points. 7. An automatic object distribution device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said row of objects extends vertically above said sectioning mechanism of row of objects.

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