EP1046432B1 - Article sorting arrangement, in particular for grouping into batches - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for sorting of products in which a conveyor line routes products one behind the other and selectively transfers them to receiving points spread over its length.

It was specifically designed for the sector of the agri-food industry, in particular to the constitution of batches of products such as slices smoked salmon according to a technique in which several lots are being trained at the same time time, the slices being selected one by one at as they arrive to be sent to the batch in training where they fit best. The criterion for selecting tranches is usually the weight, but it can also be the shape, the color, etc., or the association of several settings.

Sorting devices of the aforementioned type are at this day widely used in this application at sliced smoked salmon, which varies at the level of means operating the transfer of products at different addresses from the line of distribution. The most widespread are a system with deviators or pushers that eject products on the side of the distribution conveyor, as well as a system with succession of conveyor sections swivels which interrupt the conveyor line in bowing up or down. This last system as well as other less commonly used are described in WO 95/35238 in the name of the company Danish Scanvaegt A / S.

Other sorting devices are described in DE 4202244 and US 5460272.

A disadvantage common to all these systems existing is the speed limitation, to which add for the most part a lack of reliability which a deficiency in the control of transfers themselves, yet indispensable for the formation of lots well built to be packed with no adjustments.

The present invention results from a search for overall solution more satisfactory in view of this multiple inconvenience, although remaining simple.

It consists of a product sorting device, including a conveyor line for transporting these products one behind the other in order to route selectively to n receiving stations distributed along its length, with n ≥ 1, characterized in that that said conveying line is a conveyor belt endless, whose band presents a succession openings separated by solid areas suitable for receive products, and in that each receipt includes a product receipt arranged under the transport strand of said band without end, and selectively movable stop means above of said endless band between a position active and an erase position, for selectively stop the products arriving so that they fall in the opening succeeding to the said full area where they are worn to be received on said receiving medium at the corresponding receiving station.

When they fall, the products have previously stopped on the conveyor belt, so that their transfer to the receiving medium can be perfectly controlled. This is so for slices of smoked salmon thanks to the fact that cold conditioned, they have a relative rigidity On the other hand, the actuation of the stop means can be very fast, and so it's not an obstacle to operating rate.

Said stop means can be shutters or many combs. They move advantageously in vertical translation or pivoting around an axis transverse.

The band can take the forms more diverse, provided that it is sufficiently slippery for products. It may be a ribbon continuously in a suitable synthetic material such as polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene. It can be also a tray or pallet-mounted belt with alternating voids on chains or belts side.

For products such as sliced salmon smoked, the reception supports are advantageously trays such as cardboard boards moved step by step for the realization of batches of entertained. Depending on the desired presentation, said trays can be oriented and not moved stepwise in a given direction: parallel, perpendicular or oblique to the direction of the conveyor of distribution.

The reception supports can themselves be handled by secondary conveyors, passing between the lower and upper strands of the conveyor distribution. They can then be placed automatically on said secondary conveyors, by unstacking devices mounted at the upstream end of these.

La Fig. 1 est une vue schématique en perspective d'une forme de réalisation de dispositif selon l'invention, et

La Fig. 2 est une vue en plan d'une autre forme de réalisation de dispositif selon l'invention, dans une application au conditionnement de tranches de saumon fumé.

The features and advantages of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will become more apparent in the following description, and in the drawings to which it refers. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a device according to the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of another embodiment of the device according to the invention, in an application to the packaging of smoked salmon slices.

Considering first Fig. 1, it represents a device according to the invention comprising a conveyor of distribution 1 receiving products P one by one in his upstream end to transfer them to a plurality n receiving stations 2 distributed along its length, with moreover the possibility of an additional destination at the output of the conveyor 1, for example for products not having been assigned to one of the receiving stations 2.

According to the invention, the distribution conveyor 1 is of endless band type, its band 10 presenting in its transport width, and over its entire length, a succession of openings 12 separated from each other by solid areas 11 where are loaded P products. As shown, the openings 11 have advantageously a substantially rectangular shape and likewise solid areas 11, a longitudinal dimension significantly higher than that of the products P, which are preferably loaded on the band 10 at closer to the front edge of opening 12 lying immediately behind.

Each reception station 2 comprises a support of receiving 20, arranged under the upper strand of transport 1a of the conveyor 1, and more precisely between upper and lower strands 1b. To this support 20, corresponds a stop means 3 disposed above he and above the upper strand 1a, which has for function to selectively stop the P products on the strip 10, to slide them on it, then drop in the opening 12 behind. The way stop 3 here consists of a flap or comb to displacement in vertical translation. In a variant, erasing the flap or comb can be done any as effectively pivoting around an axis transversal, particularly in applications to thin P products where the amplitude of the pivoting can remain very small.

In practice, at reception stations 2, supports 20 are most often provided to receive final packaging containers for P products, especially trays, or boards in carton for sliced products such as salmon smoke. On the other hand, the layout of products in the receptacles can be obtained by not moving to not the receptacles via the supports 20, in a direction that can be parallel, perpendicular or oblique to the direction conveyor transport 1.

Fig. 2 illustrates a device according to the invention used for batching a sliced product such as smoked salmon. It includes a conveyor of distribution 1 in all respects identical to that of the Fig. 1, and therefore designated, and its elements, by the same references. It is powered by T slices derived from a means of measurement of the criterion of selection, to which a management unit assigns a destination address based on information detected.

Each reception station 2 comprises a conveyor secondary 21 passing between the two upper strands 1a and lower 1b of the distribution conveyor 1, to which is associated stop means 3. In the drawing, two stop means 3, in the active position, are represented by a thick line, the others being in position erasure.

Each secondary conveyor 21 is equipped in its upstream end of a dispenser or device unstacking 22 which feeds it into cardboard boards C for packaging batches of slices. The C boards are brought by the secondary conveyor 21 in position to receive the first slice, and then moved step by step to receive the following, in order to constitute a stepped stack. when lot is complete, the conveyor 21 in advance for transfer on an evacuation conveyor 4. As the supports 20 in the example of FIG. 1, the secondary conveyors 21 could be oriented obliquely to the distribution conveyor 1 rather than perpendicular, this possibility being a very simple way to vary the presentations.

Claims (10)

1. Device for sorting products, comprising a conveyor line for conveying these products (P) one behind the other in order to route them selectively to n reception stations (2) distributed along its length, with n ≥ 1, characterised by the fact that the said conveyor line is an endless belt conveyor (1), the belt (10) of which has a succession of openings (12) separated by solid zones (11) suitable to receive products (P), and by the fact that each reception station (2) comprises a product reception support (20) arranged under the conveyor run (1a) of the said endless belt (10), and a stopping means (3) selectively displaceable over the said endless belt (10) between an active position and a retracted position, to selectively stop the products (P) arriving so that they fall into the opening (12) following the said solid zone (11) in which they are carried to be received on the said reception support (20) at the corresponding reception station (2).
2. Device as described in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said openings (12) are rectangular cut-outs formed in an endless belt (10).
3. Device as described in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the belt (10) of the conveyor (1) is of a type with trays or plates, which trays or plates are mounted alternating with gaps forming the openings (12) on lateral chains or belts.
4. Device as described in one of claims 1 to 3, characterised by the fact that the said stopping means (3) are shutters or combs with displacement in vertical translation.
5. Device as described in one of claims 1 to 3, characterised by the fact that the said stopping means (3) are shutters or combs with displacement by pivoting about a transversal axis.
6. Device as described in one of claims 1 to 5, characterised by the fact that it is integrated in a plant for batch packaging of a sliced product such as smoked salmon.
7. Device as described in claim 6, characterised by the fact that each reception station 2 includes a secondary conveyor (21) passing between the upper (1a) and lower (1b) runs of the distribution conveyor (1), to handle trays for reception of slices (T) depending on the required presentation of the said slices (T) in the batches.
8. Device as described in claim 7, characterised by the fact that the said secondary conveyors (21) advance the said trays (C) step by step when they are loaded to form a tiered stack of the said slices (T).
9. Device as described in claim 7 or 8, characterised by the fact that the slanting or perpendicular orientation of the said secondary conveyors (21) relative to the said distribution conveyor (1), is determined depending on the selected presentation of the batches on the said trays (C).
10. Device as described in one of claims 7 to 9, characterised by the fact that each secondary conveyor (21) is provided at its upstream end with an unstacking device (22) to supply it with trays (C).

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