EP0858949A1 - Device fr loading articles into a container - Google Patents

Abstract

The mechanism comprises a transporter (13,16) which leads the articles to one end (17) and releases them into the container. The height of the transporter end is fixed. There is a container height adjuster which operates as a function of the container filling height. The adjuster has means for measuring the distance separating the release end from the surface filling the container. Height adjustment is obtained by a container support platform (20). This platform is connected to an actuator (22) controlled by the container filling level.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for loading articles, especially fruit, in an open container in its upper part, of the type comprising a conveyor for routing said articles to a release end of said articles in the container.

Such loading devices are used in particular for the filling of transport containers for fruit, such as apples or pears.

In known devices, the transporter consists of a conveyor comprising a horizontal section for the transport of articles extended by a vertical section carrying them into the container. The container is placed on the ground with its open end facing up. The end of release of the conveyor is movable inside the container over the height of it, in order to release the items immediately above the current level container loading, preventing long fall of items which could damage them.

For this purpose, the conveyor comprises at the outlet a vertical section which is for example formed by two identical conveyor belts extending vertically face to face parallel to each other.

To allow vertical movement of the release end of the conveyor, the lower ends of the two conveyor belts are mounted movable. Moving the lower guide rollers causes a change in the length of at least one of the bands of the conveyor. This variation in length of the vertical section requires setting work of means for compensating the length of the or each strip, in particular the presence of a movable guide roller forming a tensioner.

In another device, the horizontal and vertical sections of the conveyor are independent and the vertical section has a fixed length and is entirely movable. The displacement of the vertical section of the conveyor as a function of the level of the items in the container causes a discontinuity in guiding the articles during their transfer from the horizontal section to the vertical section.

More generally, in such arrangements, the conveyor must be able on the one hand to transport the articles and on the other hand to allow the movement in height of the end of the conveyor.

Thus, such a device is relatively complex and delicate to make it work.

The object of the present invention is to propose a loading device items in a container that's simple to make, easy to do function and with great reliability in the delivery of articles in the container.

To this end, the invention relates to a device for loading articles, especially fruit, in an open container in its upper part, of the aforementioned type, characterized in that the height of said end of release of the articles is fixed and in that it comprises adjustment means the height of the container depending on the filling level of the container.

• lesdits moyens de réglage de la hauteur sont adaptés pour déplacer le conteneur entre une position basse dans laquelle le conteneur peut être manutentionné et un ensemble de positions hautes dans lesquelles l'extrémité de libération des articles est située à l'intérieur du conteneur, à proximité de la surface moyenne de chargement du conteneur ;
• lesdits moyens de réglage de la hauteur comportent une plate-forme élévatrice de support du conteneur, laquelle plate-forme est associée à des moyens d'actionnement commandés en fonction du niveau de remplissage du conteneur ;
• lesdits moyens de réglage de la hauteur comportent des moyens de mesure de la distance séparant l'extrémité de libération des articles de la surface moyenne de remplissage du conteneur ;
• ledit transporteur comporte un convoyeur et des moyens d'accumulation temporaire des articles issus de l'extrémité de libération du convoyeur, avant leur déchargement dans ledit conteneur ; et
• lesdits moyens d'accumulation temporaire des articles comportent une cuve rotative munie d'une ouverture et des moyens de balayage de l'intérieur de ladite cuve, lesquels moyens de balayage sont débrayables.

According to particular embodiments, the device can include one or more of the following characteristics:

• said height adjustment means are adapted to move the container between a low position in which the container can be handled and a set of high positions in which the article release end is located inside the container, close to it the average loading surface of the container;
• said height adjustment means comprise an elevating platform for supporting the container, which platform is associated with actuation means controlled as a function of the filling level of the container;
• said height adjustment means comprise means for measuring the distance separating the article release end from the mean filling surface of the container;
• said conveyor comprises a conveyor and means for temporarily accumulating articles from the release end of the conveyor, before their unloading into said container; and
• said means for temporary accumulation of articles comprises a rotary tank provided with an opening and means for scanning the interior of said tank, which scanning means are disengageable.

• la figure 1 est une vue en élévation d'un dispositif de chargement d'articles selon l'invention, avant chargement d'un conteneur ;
• la figure 2 est une vue de détail en coupe longitudinale de la tête de distribution et d'accumulation temporaire du dispositif de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus de la tête représentée sur la figure 2 ; et
• les figures 4, 5 et 6 sont des vues analogues à celle de la figure 1 montrant le dispositif à des stades successifs de chargement d'un conteneur.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is an elevational view of an article loading device according to the invention, before loading a container;
• Figure 2 is a detail view in longitudinal section of the dispensing head and temporary accumulation of the device of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a top view of the head shown in Figure 2; and
• Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to that of Figure 1 showing the device in successive stages of loading a container.

In Figure 1 is shown an overview of a device 10 for loading articles P into a container C open in its upper part.

This device is suitable for loading articles, in particular fruits or vegetables of the same variety, such as apples or pears. This device can be suitable for any other type of article, all having substantially the same dimensions.

This device is intended in particular for filling containers wooden rectangular section of 1.2 m by 1 m and a height of 60 cm. However, this device can be used with containers having other dimensions.

The loading device essentially comprises a frame 12, on which are mounted on the one hand a conveyor 13 operating continuously provided with a conveyor belt 14 and on the other hand a distribution head and temporary accumulation 16 fixed rise relative to the frame. Head 16 will be described in detail in the following description. Conveyor 13 and head 16 define a transporter whose release end 17 is located in the back of the head 16.

Below the head 16 and to the right of it are provided means 18 for adjusting the height of the container C to be filled, depending on the filling level of it.

These adjustment means 18 comprise an elevating platform 20 for supporting container C. This platform has a slightly less than the floor space of a container. It is mounted at the end of a or several hydraulic cylinders 22 with vertical travel.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bodies of the jacks 22 are mounted on the ground S. A horizontal conveyor 24 is installed on the frame 12 so to transport the containers to platform 20. The height of the transporter 24 corresponds to that of platform 20 when the latter is in low position (figure 1).

The jacks 22 are connected, for their supply of actuating fluid, to a control unit 26 fixed to the frame of the machine.

This control unit is also connected to means 28 for measurement of the distance separating the head 16 from the defined average surface in container C by the articles already loaded or by the bottom thereof when the container is empty.

These means 28 comprise for example a feeler fixed to the periphery of the head 16 or a photodetection member.

The conveyor belt 14 has an inclined collection section 30 along which the level of the strip rises considering the direction advancement. This section is intended for the reception of P articles to be loaded in the container. It is extended according to the direction of advancement of the strip by an inclined outlet section 32 along which the strip descends. So the strip described at its highest point an elbow 33. The lower end 34 of the vertical section 32 corresponds to a release end of the articles in the distribution and accumulation head 16.

The conveyor belt 14 is supported and guided by an assembly rollers rotatably mounted about parallel axes extending perpendicularly in the plane of Figure 1. In particular, it is supported at the ends of its collection section 30 by two rollers 36, 38. The roller 36 is mounted directly on the frame 12. The roller 38 is mounted at the free end a cradle 40 articulated at its other end, on the frame around the axis roller 36.

Similarly, the conveyor belt 14 is supported on its section outlet 32 on the one hand at its upper end by the roller 36 and on the other hand at its lower end by a roller 44. The latter form return axes for the conveyor belt. Roller 44 is carried by the built above the distribution and accumulation head 16.

The conveyor belt 14 circulates at the outlet of the outlet section 32 along a return section 46 extending from the roller 44 to the roller 38. On this return section, the conveyor belt is guided by a roller 48 mounted movable in rotation relative to the cradle 40.

The rollers 38 and 48 being mounted on the articulated cradle 40, the inclination of the collection section 30 can be modified.

The conveyor belt 14 has on its wall receiving the articles P means for longitudinal retention of the articles bearing the reference general 58. They ensure that articles are retained according to the length of the bandaged. These means include regularly distributed transverse projections along the length of the conveyor belt.

These protrusions are for example aligned fingers arranged along the band width. Between each alignment of fingers, are thus delimited along the length of the strip of compartments in which the articles P.

The means of longitudinal retention of the articles can also have cells in which the articles are received.

The distribution and temporary accumulation head 16 will now be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

As shown in Figure 2, the head 16 includes a tank accumulator 60 cylindrical with axis X-X with flat bottom. This tank is open in its upper part. The outlet section 32 of the conveyor leads to its release end 34 inside the tank 60.

The bottom 62 of the accumulation tank (Figure 3) has an opening 64 having the shape of a disk sector extending over substantially 90 °. This opening is bordered by a radial ramp 66 for guiding the items upon disposal. Opening 64 defines the release end 17 of the carrier.

The tank 60 is rotatably mounted around a shaft 68 extending along its axis X-X. This tree is driven at variable speed by means of a geared motor group 70 fixed to the fixed structure of the conveyor 13.

Inside the tank 60 are rotatably mounted eight radial arms 72 mounted on a central crown 74. These arms extend to the wall lateral side of the tank and separate the tank into eight portions of the same area.

The movement of the central crown 74 and the eight arms 72 is synchronized with the movement of the conveyor 13. For this purpose, the crown 74 is rotated by the lower roller 44 of the conveyor by a return angle 76. This synchronization can also be carried out by electromechanical means.

The operation of the article loading device is following.

The articles P are introduced on the collection section 30. The strip conveyor 14 continuously conveys the articles to the distribution head and accumulation 16. On the conveyor, the articles are held longitudinally by the retaining means 58.

In order to load a container C, it is arranged empty on platform 20 under the distribution and accumulation head 16, as shown in FIG. 1. The platform 20 is then at the level of the conveyor 24, the jacks 22 being retracted. The container can thus easily to be handled.

The means 18 for adjusting the height of the container are then implemented. Thus, the control unit 26 controls the jacks 22 of so that the platform 20 rises and comes to arrange the container in a extreme high position shown in Figure 5. In this position, the surface lower of the dispensing head 16 at which the end extends release 17 is separated from the bottom surface of the container by a height interval H substantially corresponding to the diameter of an article.

It is understood that in this position, the height of fall of the articles leaving the dispensing head 16 is minimal. So the risk of damage in the case of fragile items such as fruit or vegetables are reduced.

In order to allow the release of the articles in the container, the tank 60 is rotated by the conveyor 13 at a synchronized speed. The arms 72 are driven by the gear motor 70 at a different speed the speed of the tank. Thus, the arms 72 sweep the bottom of the tank. The articles from the conveyor 13 fall onto the bottom of the tank in one defined portions between the arms. The arms sweeping the bottom 62 of the tank then dragging the articles until the opening from which they are released in the container.

It is understood that the permanent rotational movement of the tank accumulation in which the opening 64 is provided and scanning means formed by the arms 72 ensures a homogeneous distribution of the articles over the entire surface of the container.

As the container is filled, container C is gradually lowered by control of the jacks 22 actuating the platform support 20.

Thus, as shown in Figure 5, the container is maintained in a succession of intermediate positions between the extreme high position (shown in figure 4) and the low position (shown in figure 1).

During the loading of the container, the control unit 26 controls the retraction of the jacks 22 so that the level of the container is such that the interval H (figure 5) separating the average loading surface from container delimited by already loaded articles and the underside of the head 16 is constant and corresponds substantially to the diameter of an article.

In these conditions, whatever the position taken by the container C among the set of high positions that can be established by the actuating means 22, the release end 17 of the head is close of the loading surface of the container. Typically, the height of the interval H separating them is between 0.5 and 3 times the diameter of an article.

Thus, during the entire filling phase of the container, the falling height of the articles is reduced, so that the articles are not damaged when they came into contact with the bottom of the container or with the articles already present in it.

When the container is sufficiently filled, the speed of rotation of the gearmotor 70 is modified so that the speed of the arms 72 corresponds exactly at the speed of rotation of the tank. So the arms 72 are fixed relative to the bottom of the tank and no longer ensure the sweeping thereof.

The conveyor 13 is not stopped and the articles thus continue to be poured into tank 60. They then accumulate in the six delimited portions by the arms and closed by the bottom of the tank. The tank revolving around of the X-X axis at a speed synchronized with that of the conveyor, the articles are divided into six successive portions without any article falling through opening 64.

The item accumulation period is long enough to allow the replacement of the full container with an empty container.

For this purpose, the full container is returned to its low position, represented in FIG. 6, by the actuation of the jacks 22 controlled by unit 26. The full container is then removed and replaced by a container empty.

The new container is then repositioned in the extreme high position with its bottom immediately below the dispensing head and accumulation 16. The speed of the arms 72 is then modified so that these sweep the bottom of the tank and convey the articles accumulated during change of container until opening 64. The different stages described above are again used for filling full container.

It is understood that with such a head provided at the release end articles, and comprising releasable means of temporary accumulation articles before being discharged into said container, the change of container can be operated without loss of items and without the need to interrupt, even temporarily, the feeding of articles from the conveyor. In particular, all the machines arranged upstream of the device can thus operate continuously.

With an article loading device as described here, the conveyor formed here by a conveyor belt and the head 16 can be of a very simple construction and operation since none of the elements of it does not have to undergo level changes.

Simplification of the conveyor mechanism increases reliability of the installation.

Furthermore, the means used for adjusting the height of the container are very simple.

In particular, other means of actuating the platform lifting can be implemented, such as pneumatic actuators, or even mechanisms with pinion and rack or quadrilateral deformable actuated by a jack.

Similarly, lifting means, such as cables wound on winches and carrying end hooks can be used to make vary the level of the container.

In a variant not shown, the distribution and storage disk temporary is deleted. Items from the exit end of the conveyor are then immediately released into the container. In this case, the means for adjusting the height of the container are adapted to arrange the container bottom or top surface defined by already loaded items in the container, immediately below the release end of the conveyor.

Claims (5)

Device for loading articles (P), in particular fruit, in a container (C) open in its upper part, of the type comprising a conveyor (13, 16) for conveying said articles towards one end (17) for releasing the articles (P) in the container (C), characterized in that the height of said end (17) for releasing the articles is fixed, and in this that it comprises means (18) for adjusting the height of the container (C) in function of the filling level thereof, which means (18) for adjusting of height include means for measuring the distance separating the end (17) for releasing the articles from the average filling surface container (C). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said height adjusting means (18) are adapted to move the container (C) between a low position in which the container (C) can be handled and a set of high positions in which the end of release of articles (P) is located inside the container, near the average container loading area (C). Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said height adjustment means (18) comprise an elevating platform (20) for supporting the container, which platform is associated with actuating means (22) controlled as a function of the filling level of the container. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said conveyor comprises a conveyor (13) and means (16) for temporary accumulation of the articles (P) coming from the end (24) for releasing the conveyor, before unloading it into said container (VS). Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said means (16) for temporary accumulation of the articles comprise a rotary tank (60) provided with an opening (64) and means (72) for scanning the interior of said tank, which scanning means (72) are disengageable.

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