EP0854090B1 - Device for checking cigarette-packets - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for optoelectronic testing of in particular cuboid packs of cigarettes after leaving one Packing machine, the packs passing through a test track a conveyor transportable and through during transport optoelectronic monitoring devices, in particular by cameras, verifiable with regard to correct training as well as faulty packs are separable, and the packs in the horizontal Test track can only be transported using conveyor belts that are equipped with a Conveyor strand on opposite, sideways-facing Packing surfaces, namely on one floor surface on the one hand and on one End face on the other hand.

When manufacturing cigarette packs, the correct training is the Monitor packs particularly carefully. Faulty packs are weed. Checking the external appearance of the packs on the one hand relates to the structurally correct design, i.e. correct Folding, gluing of folding flaps, but also on the presence of Tax stamps as well as the correct printing.

It is known to pack cigarettes in the manufacturing area through cameras monitor. It depends on the cameras or others Position the monitoring bodies in such a way that they are as easy as possible an optimal check of the external appearance of the packs is possible. It is also important to complete the review process in the Integrate the manufacturing process of the packs in such a way that the manufacturing-related Movement sequence or flow of conveyance is not interrupted.

US Pat. No. 4,053,056 describes a device for checking cigarette packs known according to the preamble of claim 1, in which individual packs are conveyed lying on a plate. To this end, conveyor belts engage in pairs on the side of the packs. faulty Packages can be sorted out after checking. As far as the packs on the Conveyed on the plate is an optical scanning of the Bottom of the pack not possible. The conveyor belts attacking from the side cover the adjoining, side-facing packaging surfaces almost completely from. Optical scanning is hardly possible in this area either.

The invention is therefore based on the object of monitoring or Review of packs, especially cigarette packs so too design that surveillance bodies, especially cameras, are positioned for an exact error-free inspection.

To achieve this object, the device according to the invention is thereby characterized in that the conveyor belts only in an upper area of the Packs lie against the side-facing pack surfaces - above an imaginary middle level of the packs and without further support or Holding by conveying bodies - such that the packs between the Conveyor belts can be transported hanging.

The conveyor belts for the packs have a small cross-section formed, in particular as round cords, such that only small areas of the Packing areas are covered by the conveyor belts, according to the invention one camera each above and below the movement path of the packs is positioned such that the longitudinal axes of the cameras or the optics underneath are directed at an angle to the plane of the movement path of the packs and diametrically opposite surface areas of the packs by the one and another camera are optically detectable.

The device according to the invention is of a simple construction and through exact, non-positive conveyance of the packs marked between opposing conveyor belts. The packs are in a certain relative position, namely with the small surfaces (front surface, floor surface) sideways and with narrow side faces up and transported below. In this position the coming from a packaging machine or a drying unit Packs are delivered and transported after the test. There is no change in the relative position.

Another special feature of the invention is that the Inspection of the packs to the greatest possible exclusion of ambient light is carried out. For this purpose, the cameras are at least partially, namely their beam path to the test object and / or an area of the test track with the packs and the funding bodies in completely or partially closed rooms or housings arranged. A test housing is designed so that the conveyor with the packs on one side into the closed test housing and on the opposite one Side can exit from this again.

Fig. 1

eine Fördervorrichtung mit Prüforganen für Packungen in schematischer Seitenansicht,

Fig. 2

die Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1 im Grundriß,

Fig. 3

einen Anfangsbereich der Vorrichtung in Seitenansicht, bei vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 4

die Einzelheit gemäß Fig. 3 im Grundriß,

Fig. 5

ein Bereich der Prüfstrecke als mittlerer Bereich der Fördereinrichtung in Seitenansicht, ebenfalls in vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 6

eine Grundrißdarstellung zu Fig. 5,

Fig. 7

einen Querschnitt der Vorrichtung im Bereich der Prüfstrecke,

Fig. 8

einen austrittsseitigen Bereich der Fördereinrichtung in Seitenansicht,

Fig. 9

die Einzelheit der Fig. 8 im Grundriß,

Fig. 10

einen Bereich einer Prüfstelle für Packungen einer anderen Ausführungsform der Vorrichtung in Seitenansicht, teilweise geschnitten,

Fig. 11

eine Einzelheit der Fig. 10 in einem Längsschnitt, in nochmals vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 12

eine Ansicht der Einzelheit gemäß Pfeil XII in Fig. 10.

Further details of the invention relate to the design of the conveying members, the positioning of the cameras and an ejector and the design of housings for a test free of extraneous light. An embodiment of the device is explained below with reference to the drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

a conveyor device with test organs for packs in a schematic side view,

Fig. 2

1 in plan,

Fig. 3

an initial area of the device in side view, on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 4

the detail of FIG. 3 in plan,

Fig. 5

an area of the test track as a central area of the conveyor in side view, also on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 6

5 shows a plan view of FIG. 5,

Fig. 7

a cross section of the device in the area of the test track,

Fig. 8

an exit-side area of the conveyor in side view,

Fig. 9

the detail of Fig. 8 in plan,

Fig. 10

an area of a test center for packs of another embodiment of the device in side view, partially cut,

Fig. 11

10 shows a detail of FIG. 10 in a longitudinal section, on a further enlarged scale,

Fig. 12

a view of the detail according to arrow XII in Fig. 10.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 9 deals deal with the handling of cuboid packs 10, namely cigarette packs. It can be packs Act 10 of the folding box or soft cup type. Fig. 1 shows essential parts of a conveyor unit for transporting the Packs 10 over a horizontal conveyor line. The packs 10 come, for example, from a (first) drying turret 11. This can be shown in and described in US 4,942,715 Be trained.

The packs 10 become 11 after leaving the drying turret taken over by a transfer conveyor, in the present case from a continuously rotating star wheel 12. This is provided with a plurality of protruding fingers 13, each capture a pack 10 and insert it into the conveyor unit.

The packs 10 are in the area of the conveyor unit certain relative position transported. A large area Front 14 is forward in the direction of transport and one accordingly trained back 15 directed backwards. Elongated, narrow side surfaces 16 and 17 are on top and below, while bottom surface 18 and end surface 19 point sideways.

The packs 10 are through the star wheel 12 in a pre-conveyor 56 introduced, consisting of an upper flange 20 and a lower flange 21 exists. Upper flange 20 and lower flange 21 have drivers 22, 23 on the packs 10 at the top and bottom of the Back 15 capture and an exact distance between successive Define packs 10. Upper chord 20 and lower chord 21 are guided over pulleys 24 and 25, respectively. This are arranged so that the packs 10 facing horizontal Funding strands are formed, namely upper run 26 and lower run 27. The upper run 26 lies on the upward facing packaging surface on, namely on the side surface 16 and the lower strand 27 on a lower packaging surface, namely on the lower side surface 17th

In order to transfer the packs 10 to the conveyor unit or the Ensuring pre-conveyor 56 is the lower conveyor, that is the lower flange 21, divided, namely consists of two at a distance Individual belts 28, 29 arranged from one another. The star wheel 12 is positioned so that it is between the individual belts 28, 29th runs and thereby the packs 10 in an exact position between Upper run 26 and lower run 27 can introduce.

The entry-side conveying area formed by the pre-conveyor 56 is of limited length. It connects to a test track 30. In their area, the packs 10 during the continued, continuous transport of an examination with regard to the external design. faulty Packs 10 are identified and discarded.

In the area of the test track 30, the packs 10 - under Maintaining the distances - by a separate conveyor taken over and transported. It is horizontal Level on both sides of the packs 10 Intermediate belts 31, 32. These are designed so that they are a have low structural height, so the packs 10 only capture narrow, strip-shaped areas. In the present Embodiment comes a round cord, so a belt with a round cross-section, for use (in particular Fig. 7). The Packs 10 facing conveyor strands 33 and 34 of these intermediate belts 31, 32 lie in an upper region of the packs 10, at least above an imaginary horizontal median plane 35, on the packs 10, namely on the sideways Surfaces - bottom surface 18 and end surface 19. The packs 10 have no further support or support from funding bodies, but are only "hanging" between the Conveyed strands 33, 34 transported.

The intermediate belts 31, 32 extend on the entry side up to the area of the pre-conveyor 56. End rollers 36, 37 for deflection the intermediate belts 31, 32 are in the region of the upper belt 20 and Lower chord 21 mounted next to these. On the opposite Side extend the intermediate belts 31, 32 to in the area of a final conveyor or discharge conveyor 38 for the Packs 10. End rollers 39, 40 for the intermediate belts 31, 32 are stored in the area of the conveyor 38, and likewise to the side of this.

The conveyor dreams 33, 34 of the intermediate belts 31, 32 are with guides or supports that make the transmission more precise Ensure pressing forces on the packs 10 during transport. It is a number of the same Pressure rollers 41, 42 arranged at intervals from one another both sides of the packs 10. The rotating in horizontal planes, moving pressure rollers 41 on one side are offset to the pressure rollers 42 on the other side of the Conveyor line arranged so that the pressing forces offset, at least not in the same transverse planes, on the packs 10 be transmitted.

The intermediate belts 31, 32 are on as independent conveying bodies attached to a bracket, namely on horizontal, Support webs 43, 44 formed from flat material. These are in suitably with a support frame for the entire conveyor connected. The rollers for the intermediate belts 31, 32 are arranged on the underside of the supporting webs 43, 44.

The intermediate belts 31, 32 are driven in a supportive sense, starting from a main gearbox of the packaging machine. The drive is placed on appropriately positioned pulleys 45, 46, 47 - with horizontal axis of rotation - in a suitable Transferred way.

In the area of the test track 30, the packs 10 are optoelectronic Inspection bodies checked during transport. It are (two) cameras 48, 49 above and below the movement path of the packs 10 in the area of Test section 30 are positioned stationary. The cameras 48, 49 are arranged offset to each other in the conveying direction. The lower one In this example, camera 49 is closer to the input side of the conveyor unit. The cameras 48, 49 are in a common, vertical center plane of the test track 30 arranged, namely at an angle to the (horizontal) conveying plane of the packs 10. The angle of inclination of the cameras is between 30 ° and 60 °, preferably 45 °, so that the packs 10 viewed from above and from below "over a corner". The upper Camera 48 mainly records the forward in the direction of transport facing front 14 and the upper side surface 16 of the Packs 10, while the lower camera 49, the back 15 and the lower side surface 17 receives. The lower camera 49 can - if it makes sense for spatial or other reasons - also positioned with a backward slant be (dash-dotted in Fig. 5). In this case the described packaging areas over an appropriately positioned Mirror 50 detected.

Defective packs 10 are still in the area of the test track 30, ie in the area of the intermediate belts 31, 32, from the conveying flow discarded. In the present embodiment for this purpose above the movement path of the packs 10 (Mechanical) ejector 51 arranged. This one is on here an upright support arm 52 mounted on the support web 44, and in an oblique relative position. The ejector 51 is made from a pressure medium or pneumatic cylinder 53. A piston rod with an ejector head 54 becomes discard a defective package 10 from the one drawn out in FIG Lines shown upper position extended down (In phantom). This will make the pack in question gripped at an upper side edge or corner and pressed down. The pack 10 is removed from the holder between the conveying strands 33, 34 pushed out and falls into a collecting container 55. To facilitate the ejecting process, the Ejector 51 positioned so that on the opposite Page no pressure roller 41 is present, the ejector 51 is located between two on the opposite side adjacent pressure rollers 41.

The correctly formed packs 10 are following the test track 30 from the conveyors in the area of the same, that is transferred from the intermediate belts 31, 32 to the removal conveyor 38.

This in turn consists of an upper chord 57 and a lower chord 58. The packs 10 are without changing the relative position through the intermediate belts 31, 32 into the area of Conveyor 38 transports such that the upper chord 57 and lower chord 58 the packs 10 in the area of the up and down detect facing side surfaces 16 and 17.

Following the conveyor 38, the packs 10 can one be further processed. That is advantageous Transfer to a second drying unit, as in U.S. 4,636,186. The conveyor 38 transports the Packs 10 immediately into the area of another Dry turret (not shown). In the end area of the conveyor 38, the packs 10 are dammed up to form a sealing layer.

An important special feature is in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 shown. It is about the optoelectronic testing of the Packs 10 turn off the inclusion of extraneous light. To for this purpose are those involved in the optoelectronic test Encapsulated organs and a portion of the test section 30 and thus protected against the effects of extraneous light.

The upper camera 48 and the lower camera 49 are each in an elongated housing or shaft 59 and 60 arranged. It is an elongated cross section rectangular housing-like structure in which the camera 48, 49 is attached, here on a side wall 61, 62 of the respective shaft. Each shaft 59, 60 is closed on all sides except for one of the objects to be checked, namely Packs 10, facing opening 63 packs 10 passing by are captured by the respective camera become.

Furthermore, an area of the test track 30 is in a housing 64 housed. This is suitably with a Support frame of the device connected. The housing surrounds you Conveyor section of the belts for the transport of the packs 10, namely the intermediate belts 31, 32. Directed transversely to these Side walls 65, 66 are provided with openings (not shown), which the passage of the conveyor organs - intermediate belts 31, 32 - with enable the packs 10, that is to say the entry into the housing 64 and exit from this. Otherwise, the housing 64 is on all sides closed except for the openings 63. The shafts 59, 60 connect to this housing 64, are connected to it (Fig. 11).

The cameras 48, 49 are in a special way inside the housing or shafts 59, 60 positioned. A translucent Partition, namely a glass plate 67 (or a partition made of another material) limits a closed one Chamber for receiving the respective camera 48, 49. This will protected against dust and other influences by the glass plate 67. The glass plate is in one with the shaft 59, 60 connected version 68 arranged.

To ensure access to the interior of the shaft 59, 60, is a side wall 69 with a closable opening provided, formed by a pivotable flap 70. This is fixed by a screw plug 71. The flap 70 is located in an area outside the closed chamber for the camera 48, 49.

In order to capture an optimal picture of the packs 10, this in the area of the test track, especially within the Housing 64, illuminated. For this purpose, every camera (Two) light sources 72, 73 assigned. These are each on opposite sides next to the respective camera 48, 49 positioned, within the closed by the glass plate 67 Space.

The light sources 72, 73 are preferably the Ends of fiber optic bundles. These are with a not shown, distant light source connected, which preferably emits the light intermittently, i.e. in a flash.

Additionally or alternatively, light sources can be in the housing 64 be arranged.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

pack

11

drying turret

12

star wheel

13

finger

14

front

15

back

16

side surface

17

side surface

18

floor area

19

face

20

upper chord

21

lower chord

22

takeaway

23

takeaway

24

idler pulley

25

idler pulley

26

obertrum

27

strand

28

single strap

29

single strap

30

Test section

31

intermediate belt

32

intermediate belt

33

conveying

34

conveying

35

midplane

36

end roller

37

end roller

38

discharge conveyor

39

end roller

40

end roller

41

capstan

42

capstan

43

carrying web

44

carrying web

45

idler pulley

46

idler pulley

47

idler pulley

48

camera

49

camera

50

mirror

51

ejector

52

Beam

53

cylinder

54

ejector head

55

Clippings

56

preconveyor

57

upper chord

58

lower chord

59

shaft

60

shaft

61

Side wall

62

Side wall

63

opening

64

casing

65

Side wall

66

Side wall

67

glass plate

68

version

69

Side wall

70

flap

71

Screw

72

light source

73

light source

Claims (11)

1. Apparatus for the optoelectronic checking of, in particular, cuboidal cigarette packs (10) once the latter have left a packaging machine, it being possible, in the region of a checking section (30), for the packs (10) to be transported by a conveyor and, during the transportation, checked for correct formation by optoelectronic monitoring elements, in particular by cameras (48, 49), and for defective packs (10) to be separated out, and it being possible, in the region of the horizontal checking section (30), for the packs (10) to be transported exclusively by conveying belts (31, 32), which, by way of a conveying strand (33, 34), butt against mutually opposite pack surfaces which are directed to the side, namely against a base surface (18), on the one hand, and against an end surface (19), on the other hand, characterized in that the conveying belts (31, 32) butt against the pack surfaces (18, 19) only in a top region of the packs (10) - above an imaginary centre plane of the packs (10) and without being further supported or secured by conveying elements - such that the packs (10) can be transported in such a way that they hang between the conveying belts (31, 32).
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the conveying belts, namely intermediate belts (31, 32), are round belts.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in each case one camera (48, 49) is positioned above and beneath the movement path of the packs (10), in particular such that the longitudinal axes of the cameras (48, 49), or of the optical system of the same, are directed at an angle with respect to the plane of the movement path of the packs (10), such that diametrically opposite surface regions of the packs (10) can be sensed optically by one camera (48, 49) and the other.
4. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that defective packs (10) can be separated out of the conveying stream of the packs (10) by an ejector (51) in the region of the checking section (30), following the cameras (48, 49).
5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that the ejector (51) has an ejector head (54) which can be moved preferably by a cylinder (53) and, by virtue of a downwardly directed movement, can be displaced against the pack (10) which is to be ejected, in particular can be displaced in an inclined movement direction against a top lateral corner or edge of the pack (10).
6. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that, in the region of the checking section (30), the packs (10) can be supported by supporting elements which are arranged on both sides of the movement path, in particular by pressure-exerting rollers (41, 42), which, in the region of the checking section (30), butt against the conveying strands (33, 34) of the conveying belts (31, 32).
7. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized by a primary conveyor (56), which is arranged upstream of the conveying belts (31, 32), and by a removal conveyor (38), which adjoins the conveyor belts (31, 32), the packs (10) butting against upwardly and downwardly directed pack surfaces, in particular against narrow side surfaces (16, 17), in the region of the primary conveyor (56) and of the removal conveyor (38).
8. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the packs (10) can be checked in a region of the checking section (30) which is shielded from extraneous light.
9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, characterized in that the cameras (48, 49) are preferably arranged entirely in a closed housing, in particular in an elongate shaft (59, 60), which has an opening (63) on the side which is directed towards the packs (10) which are to be checked.
10. Apparatus according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that a region of the checking section (30) runs in a housing (64) which, in the region of side walls (65, 66), has openings for the through-passage of the packs (10) including the conveying elements, the cameras (48, 49) being arranged in the housing (64) or the shafts (59, 60) being connected to the housing (64).
11. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the cameras (48, 49) are assigned light sources (72, 73), in particular within the shafts (59, 60) or the housing (64).

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