EP1730478A1 - Procede et dispositif d'emballage d'articles de poids non uniforme - Google Patents

Procede et dispositif d'emballage d'articles de poids non uniforme

Info

Publication number
EP1730478A1
EP1730478A1 EP05715116A EP05715116A EP1730478A1 EP 1730478 A1 EP1730478 A1 EP 1730478A1 EP 05715116 A EP05715116 A EP 05715116A EP 05715116 A EP05715116 A EP 05715116A EP 1730478 A1 EP1730478 A1 EP 1730478A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
articles
predetermined
article
weight
collection
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP05715116A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Henrik Skyum
Henning SKRÆDDERDAL
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Scanvaegt International AS
Original Assignee
Scanvaegt International AS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Scanvaegt International AS filed Critical Scanvaegt International AS
Publication of EP1730478A1 publication Critical patent/EP1730478A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01G—WEIGHING
    • G01G19/00—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups
    • G01G19/22—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups for apportioning materials by weighing prior to mixing them
    • G01G19/24—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups for apportioning materials by weighing prior to mixing them using a single weighing apparatus
    • G01G19/30—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups for apportioning materials by weighing prior to mixing them using a single weighing apparatus having electrical weight-sensitive devices
    • G01G19/303—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups for apportioning materials by weighing prior to mixing them using a single weighing apparatus having electrical weight-sensitive devices involving digital counting
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01G—WEIGHING
    • G01G19/00—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups
    • G01G19/22—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups for apportioning materials by weighing prior to mixing them
    • G01G19/38—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups for apportioning materials by weighing prior to mixing them programme controlled, e.g. by perforated tape
    • G01G19/382—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups for apportioning materials by weighing prior to mixing them programme controlled, e.g. by perforated tape involving digital counting
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01G—WEIGHING
    • G01G19/00—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups
    • G01G19/387—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups for combinatorial weighing, i.e. selecting a combination of articles whose total weight or number is closest to a desired value

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for packing articles having non-uniform weight.
  • Grader type weighing machines are building up a number of packages - at a corresponding number of positions - in parallel.
  • the articles are weighed one by one (each article may consist of one item or a small groups of items) and after each weighing it is decided to which position every single article is to be guided.
  • the decision is based on historical data from previously weighed articles and statistical rules. When articles belonging to one package are assembled at the position they are removed from there and the machine will begin the build-up of a new package at that position.
  • the positions will finish packages at a random pattern.
  • the process of selecting the articles (single items or small groups of items) to the package are, as mentioned, based on historical data from previously weighed articles and statistical rules.
  • the packages will have to meet certain parameters, such as a. target package weight (nominal package weight) b. acceptable package overweight c. acceptable package underweight (this may often be zero) d. maximum item weight (optional) e. minimum item weight (optional) f. maximum number of items in the package (optional) g. minimum number of items in the package (optional) These parameters are defined prior to beginning the packaging process. Such a set of parameters can be referred to as a job. A grader can optionally run several jobs in parallel at the same time.
  • GB-A-2 116 732 discloses what is commonly known as the "funnel method" of batching and operates on the basis of an assumption that the articles which are to be packed have a normal (Gaussian) weight distribution.
  • the weight distribution pattern for a normal Gaussian distribution that is to say a graph showing the numbers of articles of different weights, is a bell-shaped curve having relatively few low and high weight articles and having the majority of articles in a median region.
  • Batching of articles by the funnel method is by placing low weight and high weight articles first into the batches, and then complete the batching by selection of articles whose weights progressively approach the median value of the Gaussian weight distribution curve.
  • incoming articles to be batched may be sampled in order to define the parameters of the Gaussian weight distribution pattern that is utilized by the computer, and no other preliminary measurements or computations are made.
  • the computer controls the batching operation in dependence upon the Gaussian weight distribution curve and the basic assumption is made that articles of each and every weight value in the Gaussian weight distribution curve are available to be batched.
  • This basic assumption leads to the problem that if a particular article weight or range of article weights is in fact not available, for example because articles of that weight or weight range have previously been picked out to be sold separately at a premium price, then the batching process may stall because of the unavailability of suitable articles.
  • WO 96/08322 discloses a batching method and system which has been referred to as a "Camel Back" method on account of its ability to batch successfully a range of articles having a weight distribution which is distinctly non-Gaussian on account of having two maxima or humps, like a camel.
  • the process of selecting the articles (single items or small groups of items) to the package are based on historical data from previously weighed articles and statistical rules.
  • the historical data can be based on a simple first-in-first-out memory holding some of the previous weighed articles processed in a useful way to produce the decision background for selecting the position for the item in question.
  • a brand new job with no historical data in the memory can be initiated by guiding one article to each position allocated to that job. Normally this will produce sufficient "historical data" to run the job in an acceptable way until more data are produced.
  • the historical data are updated on a regular basis when the job is running.
  • the quantity missing in each position to meet the target parameters is calculated (each time an article is allocated).
  • the new weighed article (the one to be allocated) is simulated put into each position and a new missing quantity is calculated for each position.
  • This missing quantity is compared to the histogram and the convoluted histograms to investigate how the chances are to meet the target parameters. This is done for each position and a score is calculated - high score for good chances to meet the target parameters and low score for bad chances to meet the target parameters. When all scores are calculated the allocation is determined as the position with the highest score.
  • the machine decides for each weighed article (single item or small group of items) where to put it. It happens that the machine decides that an article does not fit into any of the positions, if for instance the machine foresees that it will not be possible to finalise any of the packages at the positions within the parameters if the particular article is guided into anyone of them.
  • Such articles are generally re-circulated back to the input to give them a "second" chance.
  • re-circulation should be kept to a minimum because it is complicated, it reduces the capacity of the machine and the handling of the articles should be kept to a minimum due to any possible damages to it etc. Of obvious reasons the possibility to find a suitable position to any given article is bigger if more positions are allocated to the job in question.
  • a turn-device can be incorporated to turn some of the articles (e.g. fish) so they fit better into the packing material, or they can be led through different channels from different positions to land in the same packaging material in opposite direction (e.g. 6 fish in one box, 3 of which with tail in the same direction as the head of the remaining 3 ones).
  • the weighing machine is generally of the automatic type and can be arranged in many ways, e.g. one or more hopper scale(s) or a weighing device arranged with a conveyor belt.
  • a conveyor belt When the articles are leaving the weighing machine they can be transferred onto a conveyor belt or, in some cases it can be one belt including weighing means.
  • the positions can be arranged as bins alongside the conveyor belt and the articles are removed from this conveyor belt by means of deflector wings or other mechanical devices (see a later paragraph) arranged alongside the conveyor belt.
  • the machine If the machine is working with reflector wings, there is normally one wing per position bin. In some cases two positions are arranged in one bin outside each other. In that case the bin is equipped with a moveable split-plate. The placing of this split- plate will determine which position an article will be transferred to.
  • the deflector wings may be arranged on the opposite side of the conveyor as the position bins or they may be arranged on the same side as the position bins. If the deflector wings are arranged on the opposite side than the position bins they are hinged in the end closest to the feeding end of the conveyor. They are to be turned when an article to be moved into a position bin is passing by. In this case there may be position bins only on one side of the conveyor. If the deflector wings are arranged on the same side as the position bins they are hinged in the end opposite the feeding end of the conveyor. They are to be turned when an article to be moved into a position bin is passing by. In this case there may be deflector wings on both sides of the conveyor.
  • this object is achieved by a method for batching articles having different weights into a plurality of batches at a number of collection positions, wherein each completed batch comprises a plurality of articles and has a sum weight within a predetermined weight range, said method including:
  • all articles i.e. a multiple of articles that are not yet placed in a collection bin are available for allocation to a specific collection position bin.
  • this method can improve the capacity as well as the quality of the building of packages, since several articles are available for allocation to a specific package, which is being built at each of the collection positions in the batching section.
  • the delayed decision technique improves the quality of the decisions also if the technique is implemented in the known designs. For instance, where some of the articles are already removed from the conveyor it is still an advantage to re-decide if something else is better than that already planned. It is advantageous that a high number of articles are not placed in the collection positions. This means that the system according to the invention takes up more space than normally if the improvements are utilised to the full extend.
  • the advantage when using the delayed decision technique is lower when using split-plates in the bins to make two positions in each and when using position bins on both sides compared to using single row position bins assuming a constant number of positions.
  • An alternative way of utilising this invention is to reduce the number of positions compared to the conventional way. This will give a comparable result but with a fewer number of positions, and so save space and cost.
  • predetermined sets of batching parameters are defined for each batch and on which the allocation of articles is based, said predetermined sets of parameters include the following parameters:
  • these predetermined sets of parameters further include some or all of the following parameters:
  • each article may consist of one or more articles, said articles preferably being food articles.
  • some or each of the collection positions are provided with a bin, which preferably is subdivided into two collection bins, and that an article may be directed to one of the two collection bins in response to the allocation of the recorded articles.
  • the articles are preferably provided in a continuous flow through the weighing and the batching section.
  • the flow rate may be relatively high as the available computing power increases and the control system of the apparatus hereby can perform the calculations for the allocation relatively quickly.
  • an intermittently flow of articles may be provided.
  • • computing means for allocating the recorded articles to a collection position within a predetermined decision time period; said allocation is performed on the basis of the weight of the recorded articles that are not yet placed in one of the collection positions, and the content of the predetermined collection position; • deflection means for directing each of the articles into the predetermined collection position in response to a computed allocation; and • means for emptying a collection position when the predetermined sum weight is obtained.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic top view of a batching apparatus for batching out articles according to a first embodiment
  • Fig. 2 is a detailed view of a part of the batching section of the apparatus of fig. i;
  • Fig. 2a is a cross-sectional view of the section A- A of fig. 2;
  • Figs. 3-6 are partial schematic views of other embodiments of a batching apparatus
  • Fig. 7 shows a schematic top view of a batching apparatus utilising a method according to the invention
  • Fig. 8 shows another embodiment of a batching apparatus utilising the method
  • Figs. 9 to 13 are flow diagrams illustrating the data flow for the batching method according to the invention on an apparatus as shown in fig. 7.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a batching apparatus having weighing means 1 and a batching section 2.
  • the weighing means 1 is generally of the automatic type and can be arranged in many ways, e.g. with one or more hopper scale(s) or a weighing device arranged with a conveyor belt.
  • the arrow T in fig. 1 indicates the article transport direction. In some embodiments, it can be one belt including weighing.
  • a number of packing bins 4 are arranged alongside this conveyor 3 and the articles are removed from this conveyor 3 by means of deflector wings 5 or other deflection means arranged alongside the conveyor 3.
  • Each deflector wing 5 is arranged in association with a bin 4.
  • the deflector wings 5 are pivotably arranged on a hinge 6.
  • the deflector wings 5 may be hinged "upstream", as shown in e.g. fig. 1 or “downstream” hinged as shown in fig. 3.
  • pushers of various kinds, air blast, or the conveyor itself can be divided into a number of small conveyors each able to tilt either longitudinal or transversal to remove the article (or the small of articles) from the main stream. It can also be a number of bins underneath each other each with bottom flip plates to direct the article(s) into the chosen next bin 4.
  • the apparatus is preferably provided with deflector wings 5, where there is normally one wing 5 per position bin 4.
  • deflector wings 5 In some cases, two positions are arranged in one bin 40 outside each other, as shown in fig. 2 and fig. 2a.
  • the bin 40 is equipped with a moveable split-plate 41. The placing of this split-plate 41 will determine which position an article will be transferred to, i.e. if the article is transferred to the first compartment 42 or the second compartment 43 of the split bin 40 (see fig. 2a).
  • the deflector wings 5 may be arranged on the opposite side of the conveyor as the position bins, as shown in fig 1 or in another embodiment they may be arranged on the same side as the position bins, as shown in fig. 3.
  • the deflector wings 5 are arranged on the opposite side than the position bins 4, they are hinged in the end closest to the feeding end of the conveyor 3 (i.e. upstream). They are to be turned when an article 10 (or a little group of articles) to be moved into a position bin 4 is passing by. In this case, there may be position bins 4 only on one side of the conveyor (see fig. 1).
  • the deflector wings 5 are arranged on the same side as the position bins 4, they are hinged in the end opposite the feeding end of the conveyor (i.e. downstream). They are to be turned when an article 10 (or a little group of articles) to be moved into a position bin 4 is passing by. In this case, there may be deflector wings 5 on both sides of the conveyor 3 as shown in fig. 4.
  • two rows of articles 10 are arranged alongside each other and the weighing process is arranged so that the articles 10 running in the first row 1' are weighed independently of the articles 10 running on the second row 1".
  • a conveyor 3 with deflector wings 5 hinged in the end opposite the feeding end is preferred because such deflector wings 5 can be arranged on both sides to move articles 10 only from the row closest, as shown in fig. 5.
  • Two or more conveyors 3', 3" can be arranged close to each other allowing them to share position bins 4 arranged in the space between them.
  • articles weighed in a weighing apparatus 1 ' arranged in association with the first conveyor 3 and articles weighed in a weighing apparatus 1" arranged in association with the second conveyor 3" can be packed together in the same package, as shown in fig. 6.
  • the bins 40 with split-plate 41 can be used in combination with the apparatuses shown in any of figures 3, 4 and 5, and the downstream deflector wing (see fig. 3) can be used in combination with "centre" position bins 4 (see fig. 6).
  • All types of position bins can be equipped with one or more bottom gate(s) to increase the active operation time of that particular position.
  • the advantage is easily acknowledged when we consider a situation where several positions in front of an observed operator have finished their packages almost simultaneously. The operator needs time to move the articles from the presentation tray to the packaging material. Therefore the position(s) waiting to be attended to will be idle if not accommodated suitable.
  • the bottom gate will provide a buffer feature and so the content for a second package can be assembled on top of the gate while the content for the first package is waiting in the presentation tray.
  • a so-called takeaway conveyor can be installed underneath the position bins.
  • This conveyor transfers the articles to a remote place where they are moved from the conveyor belt to the packing material either automatically or manually.
  • the position bins have to be equipped with at least one level of buffer (as described above) to enable the positions bins to hold the articles until all the articles to form a package are collected.
  • a controller will keep track of the articles on the conveyor belt so the articles belonging to another package will not be released at the same spot on the belt - this to avoid mixing articles belonging to various packages.
  • the articles may alternatively be collected directly from the deflector wings in wheeled containers placed alongside the conveyor.
  • the batching out of the articles 10A...F may advantageously be performed as explained in the flow charts of figures 9 to 13.
  • the articles 10A...F are weighed on a the scale 1 and flow in the direction T into the batching section 2 on a conveyor 3 where a number of position bins 4 are arranged.
  • Deflector wings 5 are arranged on the conveyor 3 in association with each of the bins 4.
  • the batching section is arranged with a bin- free "run-in" section 21 on the conveyor 3, whereas the embodiment of figure 8 is of a more traditional and compact nature.
  • Position VII is used as the designation for the articles decided for re-circulation, here they are going over the end of the conveyor.
  • the method of selecting the most suitable article for a specific bin is preferably carried out as outlined in the flow charts 1 to 5, shown in figures 9 to 13.
  • the control system focuses on the highest position of the bin and then goes on to check if article 10A (or simply identified by "A"). If not, the focus is shifted to the next lower position. If article 10A is available, it is checked if the bin in focus will be overfilled, i.e. go outside the tolerances for the batch, which is being built on this bin. This is checked by increasing the content record with the recorded weight of article 10A, i.e. pre-allocating the article to the bin. If the focused bin is overfilled, the content record is reduced again, i.e.
  • the flow charts shown are adapted to the situation with five articles to be allocated. It is of course realised that the control system is automatically adapted to any situation, i.e. any number of articles. The associated software programming is adapted to perform this allocation process irrespective of the number of articles to be allocated at the time.
  • the articles is carried out with the articles in focus, where every possible allocation of the first article 10A is combined with every possible allocation for the second article 10B, which again is combined with every possible allocation for the third article IOC on the conveyor 3 and so forth.
  • the collection positions i.e. the position bins are chosen as the basis, where every possible allocation of articles to a bin VI is combined with every possible allocation of remaining articles for bin V, which then is combined with every possible allocation of remaining articles for bin IV, etc. Both principles may be used in order to optimise the allocations of articles amongst the "search space", i.e. the number of possible combinations.
  • the number of possible allocations is limited by the elimination of combinations of articles where the sub-batches in the bin exceed the weight limits. Besides, it may be advantageous in some cases to further limit the search space, a limit to the amount of articles which are included in the search could be introduced, and/or it could be practical to operate with a run time controlled maximum value on the amount of combinations which are included in the final selection process.
  • the ultimate criterion for the search result i.e. the optimal allocation, is characterized in that: i) All items are allocated to one of the allocation possibilities associated with the items, or the items are rejected resulting in a given combined preference value, ii) There does not exist any alternative allocation combination which gives a better combined preference value.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif et un procédé d'emballage d'articles (10) présentant des poids différents, pour former une pluralité de lots en un certain nombre de points de collecte (4), chaque lot complet comprenant une pluralité d'articles (10) dont le poids total est compris dans une plage de poids prédéterminée. Le procédé comporte les étapes consistant à : former un flux sériel d'articles sur une bande transporteuse ; peser (1) chaque article du flux et enregistrer le poids des articles ; transporter (3) les articles enregistrés vers une partie (2) mise en lots ; affecter les articles enregistrés à un point de collecte (4) dans une période de décision prédéterminée ; mettre en place un article affecté dans le point de collecte (4) prédéterminé ; et vider le point de collecte (4) lorsque le poids total prédéterminé est atteint. L'affectation des articles est mise en oeuvre en fonction du poids des articles enregistrés n'ayant pas encore été positionnés dans l'un des points de collecte, et du contenu du point de collecte (4) prédéterminé. L'invention permet d'assurer une affectation améliorée grâce à la décision retardée, et d'augmenter d'un certain multiple le nombre d'articles (10) affectés à chaque décision.
EP05715116A 2004-03-31 2005-03-22 Procede et dispositif d'emballage d'articles de poids non uniforme Withdrawn EP1730478A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DKPA200400516 2004-03-31
PCT/DK2005/000195 WO2005095904A1 (fr) 2004-03-31 2005-03-22 Procede et dispositif d'emballage d'articles de poids non uniforme

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1730478A1 true EP1730478A1 (fr) 2006-12-13

Family

ID=34961760

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP05715116A Withdrawn EP1730478A1 (fr) 2004-03-31 2005-03-22 Procede et dispositif d'emballage d'articles de poids non uniforme

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1730478A1 (fr)
BR (1) BRPI0509075A (fr)
NO (1) NO20064932L (fr)
WO (1) WO2005095904A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102005060308A1 (de) † 2005-12-16 2007-06-21 Mettler-Toledo Garvens Gmbh Sortierverfahren und Sortiervorrichtung
EP2745942B1 (fr) 2007-02-07 2016-05-11 Marel A/S Procédé et système permettant de traiter des articles alimentaires
NL2001493C2 (nl) 2008-04-17 2009-10-20 Stork P M T B V Installatie voor het verwerken van slachtdierdelen van slachtdieren.
GB2472823A (en) 2009-08-19 2011-02-23 Valka Ehf Sorting items into receivers
WO2012039080A1 (fr) 2010-09-22 2012-03-29 大和製衡株式会社 Système de pesée et méthode de travail de pesée
GB201206983D0 (en) 2012-04-20 2012-06-06 Ishida Europ Ltd Method and apparatus for use in a food packaging system
DE102013102815C5 (de) * 2013-03-18 2019-10-17 Jörn Strauß Wiegevorrichtung für Sortiermaschinen für Lebensmittel und Messverfahren für eine Wiegevorrichtung
US11357237B2 (en) 2015-03-02 2022-06-14 Valka Ehf Apparatus for processing and grading food articles and related methods
US11344036B2 (en) 2015-03-02 2022-05-31 Valka Ehf Apparatus for processing and grading food articles and related methods
US11259531B2 (en) 2015-03-02 2022-03-01 Valka Ehf Apparatus for processing and grading food articles and related methods
GB201906418D0 (en) 2019-05-07 2019-06-19 Valka Ehf Conveyor system and method
CN114308704A (zh) * 2022-01-05 2022-04-12 北京柏炜智能设备有限公司 一种配重分拣系统及方法

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ZA957788B (en) * 1994-09-15 1996-04-15 Scanvaegt As Method and apparatus for weight controlled portioning of articles having non-uniform weight

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2005095904A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BRPI0509075A (pt) 2007-08-21
NO20064932L (no) 2006-10-27
WO2005095904A1 (fr) 2005-10-13

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