EP1520789B1 - Device for introducing packages into boxes - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for introducing (foil) bags in a (shipping) cardboard, preferably in an upright position, according to the preamble of claim 1.

A primary theme of the invention is the handling of plastic bags with sensitive bag content, such as easily destructible food and beverage, especially so-called nibbling articles. The flat, usually rectangular or square foil pouches are to be positioned in an upright position in several rows next to one another and from case to case in several layers one above the other in the container or cardboard.

Known is a device for filling bags in boxes with an existing of two conveyor legs endless conveyor. A lower leg of the conveyor enters the box to be filled. By pivotal movement of the conveyor in the vertical plane of the entering into the box leg follows the progress of the filling process within the carton. Further, the conveyor is pivotable transversely by a hinge having a horizontal axis of rotation to form two rows of bags side by side in the carton. The leg entering the carton is assigned a counterfeed conveyor, the bags being transported between the mutually facing runs of the conveyors ( WO 99/43550 ). In this device, the objects or bag laid flat in the carton. In addition, the movement is not sufficiently precise.

The invention has for its object to provide a device or a conveyor for particularly sensitive (foil) bag, which allows an exact filling of a container or a carton, and in such a way that the bags positioned in an upright plane in the carton and arranged in several layers.

To achieve this object, a device according to the invention has the features of claim 1.

In the device according to the invention, the filling conveyor on the one hand (in the vertical plane) is pivotable, such that a preferably downwardly directed discharge end of the height can be adjusted to form a plurality of layers of the articles or bags on top of each other. On the other hand, the device or the filling conveyor and the carton as a whole are movable along a rectilinear trajectory, namely in accordance with the construction of rows of bags within the carton.

In a particular embodiment of the device, the filling conveyor consists (at least) of movable, namely pivotable endless conveyors - deflection conveyor - which is deflected by guides from a horizontal feed plane in a vertical discharge plane. This endless conveyor is pivotable to change the height of a discharge end for the bags. In addition, the endless conveyor in a horizontal plane in two different directions is linearly displaceable in accordance with the filling process in the container.

Further features of the invention relate to measures for supporting the settled in the container or carton bag until complete filling with the help of supportive organs. Furthermore, important design features of the filling conveyor, which consists of a pivoting part and a fixed part.

Fig. 1

eine Vorrichtung bzw. Anlage zum Einführen von Gegenständen in einen Behälter in schematischer Draufsicht,

Fig. 2

die Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1 in Seitenansicht entsprechend Sichtebene II-II in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine Einzelheit der Vorrichtung im Bereich der Einführung von Gegenständen in einen Behälter entsprechend Ansicht III-III in Fig. 4,

Fig. 4

eine gegenüber Fig. 2 quergerichtete Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung in der Sichtebene IV-IV der Fig. 1,

Fig. 5

eine entgegengesetzte Ansicht der Vorrichtung gemäß Sichtebene V-V in Fig. 1, bei vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 6

eine Einzelheit der Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 5 in horizontaler Sicht- bzw. Schnittebene VI-VI in Fig. 5, bei nochmals vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 7

einen Füllförderer als Einzelheit der Vorrichtung in Seitenansicht in einer ersten (Füll-)Stellung,

Fig. 8

einen Detailausschnitt der Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 7 in vergrößertem Maßstab,

Fig. 9

eine Darstellung entsprechend Fig. 7 bei veränderter Relativstellung des Füllförderers,

Fig. 10

eine Detaildarstellung analog Fig. 8 während der Befüllung eines Behälters.

Further details of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment of the device. It shows:

Fig. 1

a device for introducing objects into a container in a schematic plan view,

Fig. 2

the device according to Fig. 1 in side view according to viewing plane II-II in Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

a detail of the device in the field of introduction of objects into a container according to view III-III in Fig. 4 .

Fig. 4

one opposite Fig. 2 transverse side view of the device in the viewing plane IV-IV of the Fig. 1 .

Fig. 5

an opposite view of the device according to viewing plane VV in Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 6

a detail of the device according to Fig. 5 in horizontal view or section plane VI-VI in Fig. 5 , at a further enlarged scale,

Fig. 7

a filling conveyor as a detail of the device in side view in a first (filling) position,

Fig. 8

a detail of the device according to Fig. 7 on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 9

a representation accordingly Fig. 7 with changed relative position of the filling conveyor,

Fig. 10

a detailed representation analog Fig. 8 during the filling of a container.

The device shown is intended and suitable for handling objects. The embodiment shows the conveyance of bags 10 and the positioning of the same in a container, namely in a (shipping) carton 11. The bags 10 consist of a film as an outer sheath. The product is particularly sensitive to mechanical stress. This applies to so-called snacks.

The articles or bags 10 are fed in an upper, horizontal plane, by a feed conveyor 12 designed as a belt conveyor. The bags 10 are transported at a distance from one another on an upper strand of the feed conveyor 12 and transferred to a (transverse) filling conveyor 13. This promotes the bag 10 along an arcuate trajectory down and puts the bag 10 in a prepared, open-topped box 11 from. The flat bags 10 are transported in the flat position and turned in the region of the filling conveyor 13 in an upright position. In this embodiment, therefore, the bags 10 are stored upright in the carton 11, with the formation of possibly several rows of bags 14th

The filling conveyor 13 is in construction and function a special feature of the device. The filling conveyor 13 consists of two interacting elements, namely a segmented transfer conveyor or deflection conveyor 15 and a fixed part, namely a compensation conveyor 16. The deflection conveyor 15 is important for the handling of delicate objects, as these or the bag 10 from a horizontal receiving plane during transport along a particular circular arc-shaped trajectory are deflected in a downward position. This section of the conveying movement runs along a particular quarter-circle-shaped path.

The deflection conveyor 15 is a unit of two (endless) conveyors. It is a main belt 17 and a support belt 18. The main belt 17 is positioned in the region of the Umlenkförderers 15 on the inside of the arcuate transport path. A conveying run 19 runs in the region of the deflection path over a multiplicity of guide rollers 20 mounted along a (circular) arc. These effect a polygonal course of the main belt 17 or of the conveying run 19 in the region of the arcuate path. The distances of the guide rollers 20 from each other are relatively small in order to avoid pronounced kinks of the conveying run 19.

Accordingly, the support belt 18 is formed, which acts in a parallel path to the main belt 17 as an outer guide in the region of the deflection. The endless support belt 18 also runs over a number of guide rollers 21 which are arranged opposite one another with a larger diameter than the guide rollers 20, so that a contour analogous to the polygonal course is created in the region of the support belt 18.

The main belt 17 is formed as a flat belt. The support belt 18 consists in this embodiment of a plurality of adjacent individual straps, namely in particular of round cords made of elastic material. The parallel round cords together form the support belt 18. Furthermore, the support belt 18 is formed by a plurality of individual conveyors, namely one (consisting of round cords) endless conveyor from a guide roller 21 to the adjacent. In the embodiment ( Fig. 5 ) Therefore, the support belt 18 consists of five individual conveyors.

The main belt 17 extends in the region of the movable deflection conveyor 15 and in the region of the equalizing conveyor 16. The latter has a number of deflection rollers 22, of which at least two are arranged so that the conveying strand 19 has a substantially horizontal conveying section 23 following the supply conveyor 12 forms. This conveying section 23 extends in the plane of the conveying run of the feed conveyor 12 and adjoins it laterally by arranging a deflecting roller 22 immediately adjacent to the feed conveyor 12.

The support belt 18 is guided following the conveyor section 23 in the region of the compensating conveyor 16 via compensating rollers 24 which are displaceable relative to the compensating conveyor 16, namely in slots 25. The (horizontal) reciprocating balancing rollers 24 compensate for changes in length in the to be described movements of Umlenkförderers 15th

Via a plurality of further deflection rollers 26 of both the deflection conveyor 15 and the compensation conveyor 16, a return run 27 of the main belt 17 is returned from the compensation conveyor 16 to the deflection conveyor 15. The direction of movement of the straps 17, 18 is determined by the direction of movement of the bag 10 shown. In the region of the deflection conveyor 15, the return run of the main belt 17 is guided with a large angle of wrap about a drive roller 28 arranged on the deflection conveyor 15. This is by a motor 29 ( Fig. 4 ) driven in rotation. As a result, the conveyor drive is transmitted to the main belt 17.

The arriving on the feed conveyor 12 bags are removed transversely to the conveying direction of the conveying strand and transmitted to the immediately laterally adjoining main belt 17. For this purpose, a transfer conveyor is provided, namely an arranged above the feed conveyor 12 transverse conveyor 30 in the form of a Endlosgurts. The transverse conveyor 30 is mounted with a deflection roller 31 on the compensating conveyor 16 or on its supporting part. The transverse conveyor 30 is pivotable about the deflection roller 31 as a one-armed lever, from an upper inclined position into a substantially horizontal conveying position, in which a lower conveying run of the transverse conveyor 30 rests against the respective bag 10 to be removed at low pressure. By driving the cross conveyor 30, the bag 10 is pushed off the feed conveyor 12 in the transverse direction and deposited on the horizontal conveyor section 23.

This transports the bag in the deflection region between the main belt 17 and the support belt 18. During transport in this area, the bag 10 is turned so that the bags are positioned upright in the lower exit region of the filling conveyor 13.

To transfer the bag 10 to the carton 11 or to introduce into this close to the Umlenkförderer 15 and main belt 17 on the one hand and support belt 18 on the other further in an upright plane extending conveyor for the bag 10 at. These are on the one hand to an introduction conveyor 32 in continuation or supplementation of the main belt 17 and a counter-conveyor 33 in continuation of the support belt 18. Both conveyors 32, 33 are pivotally mounted as a continuation of Umlenkförderer 15.

The introduction conveyor 32, which also consists of several straps or round cords, extends into the carton 11, and indeed into an area above the bag 10 of each formed bag row 14. The fed or downwardly transported bag 10 is located on a conveying strand the infeed conveyor 32 until it reaches the settling position in the carton 11. The counterfeiter 33, which covers the bag 10 on the side opposite the infeed conveyor 32, is unpowered and serves to support and guide the bag 10 on the free side. The counter-conveyor 33 ends above the carton 11.

In forming the series of side-by-side upright bags 10 within a carton 11, the bags are sequentially deposited on a bottom of the carton 11. In order that formed sub-rows remain in the upright position, the filling conveyor 13 is assigned a support member 34. This is attached to the introduction conveyor 32 or on a support frame thereof and independently moved up and down. The support member 34 consists in this example of an upright support wall 35 which is mounted by means of mounting bracket 36 to an upright guide 37. By the dimension of the support bracket 36, the support wall 35 is in each case at a distance from the conveying plane of the introduction conveyor 32. This creates a space between the conveying strand of the introduction conveyor 32 on the one hand and the support wall 35 on the other. In this space, the bag 10 enters the downward movement and is finally held by the support wall 35 until it rests against an adjacent bag of the partially formed row of bags 14 ( Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. 8 ). The support wall 35 extends into the region of the row of bags 14.

The insertion conveyor 32 is associated with another auxiliary member for securing a desired relative position of the bag 10 in the carton 11. It is an adjusting, namely an upright pressure plate 38. This is effective in the region of a partially formed bag row 14 by moving by transverse movement the bags 10 of the bag row 14 are detected and compressed within the bag row 14. Fig. 10 shows the position of the pressure plate 38 in the adjustment or alignment of the Bag 10 of an (upper) row of bags 14. The pressure plate 38 is along an upright guide 39, adjacent to the guide 37, movable in the upright direction.

The guiding and adjusting members for the bags 10, namely the supporting member 34 with the support wall 35 and the pressure plate 38 are disposed on opposite sides of the upright insertion conveyor 32. At the upright conveying strand 40, the bags 10 are in the downward transport to. At a distance therefrom is the support wall 35. The pressure plate 38 is disposed adjacent to the return strand 41 of the introduction conveyor 32. The guides 37 and 39 are attached to a bracket 42 for the insertion conveyor 32.

Insertion conveyor 32 and counter-conveyor 33 are aligned in a parallel position, regardless of movements of the Umlenkförderers 15. In the present embodiment, the introduction conveyor 32 via a differential, via a parallel rod 43 with the Umlenkförderer 15, namely connected to a support device thereof in such a way that during pivoting movements of the deflection conveyor 15 the introduction conveyor 32 is always held in an upright position. The parallel rod 43 is connected for this purpose via levers 44, 45 on the one hand to an upper turning or deflection axis of the insertion conveyor 32 and on the other hand to a rotation axis of the deflection conveyor 15.

A special feature are the possibilities of movement of the filling conveyor 13 and the Umlenkförderers 15. The latter consists of an upright plane arranged support device which is formed in the present case as a support plate 46. On both sides of the support plate 46 organs of Umlenkförderers 15 are arranged. On one side are the unilaterally projecting from the support plate 46, so projecting guide rollers 20, 21 and 26. Furthermore, the drive roller 28 for the main belt 17 is located on this side of the support plate. Opposite is the motor 29 for driving the Hauptgurts or the drive roller 28. In the lower part of the segment-like support plate 46 is a pivot bearing 47 for the support plate 46 with a motor 48. The Umlenkförderer 15 is by the motor 48 to the pivot bearing 47 pivotable. This pivotal movement of the Umlenkförderers 15 causes a change in the height position in the region of insertion conveyor 32 and counter-conveyor 33, namely in particular with a storage of the bags in several rows one above the other ( Fig. 9, Fig. 10 ). In the different relative positions of the Umlenkförderers 15 ( Fig. 7 on the one hand, Fig. 8 On the other hand) inlet of the bag with horizontal orientation of Conveying section 23 and position in the region of the exit side, namely the insertion conveyor 32, 33 unchanged.

As a further feature of the device, the filling conveyor 13 can be moved overall in a horizontal plane, represented in a simplified manner by X and Y axes in FIG Fig. 1 , For this purpose, the filling conveyor 13 is mounted on a total of a portal-like structure. This consists of a supporting structure in the direction of the X-axis, namely of two parallel supports 49, 50. For this transverse extends below the support 49, 50, a cross member 51. The cross member 51 is movably connected to the carriers 49, 50, is so in the longitudinal direction movable (X-axis). The cross member is connected for this purpose via upright support struts 52 with the carriers 49, 50, with a movable in or on the carriers 49, 50 drive. Advantageously, the carriers 49, 50 are designed as (square) profile carriers, each with a carriage running within the carrier. This is movable by a toothed belt. In the example shown, a motor 53 is provided for driving both carriages in the carriers 49, 50 via a transverse shaft. The support struts 52 are each connected to a carriage.

The cross member 51 is preferably formed as the carrier 49, 50, so with a movable carriage. At this a downwardly directed support arm 54 is attached, which is formed angularly. In the region of a horizontal leg, the deflection conveyor 15 with the pivot bearing 47 and the motor 48 is attached to this support arm 54. The support arm 54 and thus the Umlenkförderer 15 is (rectilinear) movable on the cross member 51. A motor 55 serves to drive a carriage within the cross member 51st

For the filling of a box 11, the arriving on the feed conveyor 12 bags 10 are successively promoted against a stop 56. In this end position, the bags 10 are detected by the transverse conveyor 30 and transferred to the main belt 17 in the region of the conveying section 23. The bags 10 then enter the deflection region of the deflection conveyor 15 and are transferred to the exit region formed by the introduction conveyor 32 and the counter-conveyor 33. The last conveyor section within the carton 11 can be made in free fall, since the counterfeit conveyor 33 ends above the carton. The introduction conveyor 32 can be designed to guide the bag 10 as Saugbandförderer. The bags 10 are deposited on the bottom of the carton in an upright position, wherein the process of the Umlenkförderers 15 along the cross member 51, the respective row of bags 14 is gradually filled up. For education an adjacent further row of bags 14, the Umlenkförderer 15 is moved together with the compensation conveyor 16 in the longitudinal direction of the carrier 49, 50, ie in the X direction. For this purpose, the compensating conveyor 16 or a support plate 57 thereof is connected to the conveyor in the X direction, with the cross member 51, so that upon movement of this cross member 51 along the carrier 49, 50 of the filling conveyor 13 is moved as a whole. This movement is also followed by the transverse conveyor 30 together with the stop 56. The movement can take place in several stages, namely in accordance with the number of juxtaposed rows of bags 14.

The height adjustment of the filling conveyor 13 and the Umlenkförderers 15 carried by the pivotal movement already described about the pivot bearing 47th Fig. 7 shows the position for the introduction of bags 10 for a lower layer. Fig. 9 is the changed position in forming a second or upper layer of bag rows 14. In the pivoting movements of the Umlenkförderers 15 of the compensation conveyor 16 remains in the same relative position. The same applies to movements in the Y direction.

The peculiarity of the device lies in the simple transmission of movements in an upright plane (pivotal movements) and linear movements in a horizontal plane in two directions.

Claims (18)

1. Apparatus for introducing flat (sheet-material) bags (10) into a (shipping) carton (11) in an upright position, wherein the articles or bags (10) can be deflected by a pivotable filling conveyor (13) out of a feeding plane into a filling plane, which is directed transversely to the feeding plane, and wherein the filling conveyor (13) can be pivoted in a vertical plane, in accordance with the changing filling height within the carton (11), for the purpose of introducing a plurality of layers of bags (10) arranged one above the other, characterized in that the filling conveyor (13) can be displaced in at least one further direction overall in accordance with the filling operation within the carton (11) for the purpose of building up rows (14) of a plurality of bags (10) arranged one beside the other, and for the purpose of forming a plurality of rows (14) of bags located one beside the other in the carton (11).
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the filling conveyor or the deflecting conveyor (15) can be displaced in a horizontal plane in the direction of the advancing filling level within the carton (11).
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the filling conveyor (13), in addition or as an alternative, can be displaced in a horizontal plane in the direction transverse to the rows (14) of bags (x direction).
4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 and/or 3, characterized in that the filling conveyor (13) or a deflecting conveyor (15), as part of the filling conveyor, can be displaced by linear conveyors in a horizontal plane in the X direction and in the Y direction.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the filling conveyor (13), in a sub-region, in particular in the region of the deflecting conveyor (15), comprises at least one arcuate endless conveyor for transporting the bags (10), wherein the endless conveyor, in the region of the deflecting conveyor (15), runs along an (approximately) quarter-circle-shaped movement path such that the bags (10) transported by the endless conveyor can be deflected out of an upper, preferably horizontal feeding plane into a preferably vertical discharging plane.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the filling conveyor (13) or the deflecting conveyor (15), as part of the filling conveyor (13), comprises a carrier arranged in an upright plane, in particular a segment-like carrying plate (46), on which deflecting rollers (20, 26) for the endless conveyor, in particular for a main belt (17) comprising individual belts or round sections, are fitted, projecting preferably from one side of the carrying plate (46), wherein a plurality of deflecting rollers (20) are positioned at small distances from one another along an in particular quarter-circle-shaped contour of the carrying plate (46) such that the main belt (17), in the region of the deflecting rollers (20), follows a more or less arcuate, polygonal course.
7. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the filling conveyor (13) comprises the movable, in particular pivotable, deflecting conveyor (15) and a fixed compensating conveyor (16), wherein the main belt (17), in the region of the compensating conveyor (16), is guided over deflecting rollers (22, 24, 26), of which preferably a plurality of deflecting rollers (24) serve as compensating rollers (24), which can be moved relative to the compensating conveyor (16), for the purpose of compensating for changes in length of the main belt (17) on account of movements of the deflecting conveyor (15).
8. Apparatus according to Claim 7 or one of the further claims, characterized in that relative positioning of deflecting rollers (22) of the compensating conveyor (16) and of deflecting rollers (20) of the deflecting conveyor (15) means that the main belt (17) forms the horizontally directed conveying portion (23) for the purpose of accommodating the bags (10) prior to being introduced into a deflecting region.
9. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the filling conveyor (13) or the deflecting conveyor (15), at least in the region of the de-flection of the conveying path for the bags (10), is assigned a guide mechanism along the arcuate movement path, in particular a radially outer, arcuate supporting belt (18), wherein the latter is guided preferably over deflecting rollers (21) which are fitted on the carrier of the deflecting conveyor (15), in particular on the carrying plate (46), opposite the deflecting rollers (20) of the main belt (17).
10. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the bags can be fed to the filling conveyor (13) by a feeding conveyor (12), in particular in a direction transverse to the main belt (17), wherein the bags (10) arriving on the feeding conveyor (12) can be removed from the feeding conveyor (12) in an end position via a transverse conveyor (30), in particular by a transversely directed endless belt, and set down on the main belt (17) of the filling conveyor (13).
11. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the filling conveyor (13), in particular the deflecting conveyor (15) thereof, has connection conveyors in the exit region for the purpose of conveying the bags in a vertical plane for transfer to the carton (11), these connection conveyors being constituted, in particular, by an introduction conveyor (32) and an abutment conveyor (33), which is spaced apart therefrom.
12. Apparatus according to Claim 11 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the (separately driven) introduction conveyor (32) and abutment conveyor (33) are fitted in a pivotable manner on the deflecting conveyor (15), or on the carrying plate (46) thereof, and can be moved such that the introduction conveyor (32) and abutment conveyor (33) are directed vertically in each relative position of the movable deflecting conveyor (15).
13. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the filling conveyor (13) or the deflecting conveyor (15) has directing mechanisms in the region of the exit side of the bags (10) for the purpose of guiding and supporting the bags (10) while they are being introduced into the carton (11), and/or in the position in which they have been set down in the carton (11).
14. Apparatus according to Claim 13 or one of the further claims, characterized in that a supporting mechanism (34) with an upright supporting wall (35) is fitted preferably on the relatively long introduction conveyor (32), which leads into the region of the carton (11), to be precise the supporting mechanism being fitted at a distance from an (upright) conveying strand (40) of the introduction conveyor (32) such that the bag (10), in the region of transfer to the carton (11), is guided between the conveying strand (40), on the one hand, and the supporting wall (35), on the other hand.
15. Apparatus according to Claim 13 or one of the further claims, characterized in that, in addition or as an alternative, a forming or pressure-exerting mechanism is fitted on the deflecting conveyor (15) or on the introduction conveyor (32), this mechanism being, in particular, a pressure-exerting plate (38) for transmitting transversely directed pressure to bags (10) in the region of a partially formed row (14) of bags, wherein the pressure-exerting plate (38) and/or supporting mechanism (34) can be moved up and down independently of one another.
16. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the filling conveyor (13), for movement in a horizontal plane, is mounted in a displaceable manner on a transverse carrier (51), and the latter is mounted, likewise in a displaceable manner, on carriers (49, 50), such that the filling conveyor (13), by displacement on the transverse carrier (51), can be displaced in a Y direction and, by virtue of the transverse carrier (51) being displaced on the carriers (49, 50), can be displaced in the X direction.
17. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or one of the further claims, characterized in that the deflecting conveyor (15), as part of the filling conveyor (13), is fitted on the transverse carrier (51), or on a carriage thereof, and, accordingly, can be pivoted independently of the compensating conveyor (16) and can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the transverse carrier (51), and in that the compensating conveyor (16) is fixed on the transverse carrier (51) such that movement of the transverse carrier (51) on the carriers (49, 50) allows movement of the filling conveyor (13) in its entirety.
18. Apparatus according to Claim 17, characterized in that a stop (56), for the end position of the bags (10) on the feeding conveyor (12), and the transverse conveyor (30) can be moved along with the filling conveyor (13).

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