EP2328812A1

EP2328812A1 - An apparatus for sorting objects

Info

Publication number: EP2328812A1
Application number: EP09815751A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franco Stefani
Original assignee: System SpA
Current assignee: System SpA
Priority date: 2008-09-29
Filing date: 2009-05-27
Publication date: 2011-06-08
Also published as: ITMO20080255A1; BRPI0918951A2; CN102164823A; IT1391132B1; WO2010035153A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for sorting objects, comprising: gripping means (5) for operating a gripping of single objects conveyed on a conveyor line (1) located upstream, transferring the objects along a trajectory and depositing the objects (10) at predetermined temporary depositing points along the trajectory on a predisposed support structure (2); transfer means for removing on command the objects (10) from the support structure in order to transfer the objects to a station downstream. The gripping means (5) transfer the objects (10) along a trajectory which develops parallel to the support structure (2). Also provided are means for predefining the predetermined points of the trajectory and for enabling identification for a following collection.

Description

_ J -

An Apparatus for Sorting Objects.

Technical Field

The invention relates to an apparatus for sorting objects. Specifically, though not exclusively, the invention is usefully applied in packing lines where objects coming from a continuous conveyor line, along which they are essentially transferred in a line and generally distanced from one another, have to be sorted, i.e. separated from one another on the basis of their individual characteristics, which have been determined before the sorting process. Background Art Sorting has the simple function of separating objects coming from the line on the basis of the characteristics of each object, such as then to be able to collect the objects in terms of homogeneity of characteristics, such as to form, for example in the case of tiles or slabs (ceramic or made of other materials) homogeneous packs composed of a predetermined number of objects. These packs of homogeneous objects are thus ready for the following stage of packing.

The prior art comprises apparatus which perform a similar in-line function, in particular for objects constituted by tiles or slabs. For example, one of these apparatus is disclosed in publication WO2008/038081 in the name of the present Applicant, in which the apparatus can be identified as a portion of a more complex packing line. In the present example, the collecting of the tiles with which the piles are to be formed in pallets, is done by means of picking up the tiles themselves with two groups of pliers from a loading station, in which the tiles are halted and positioned against a stop. The pliers are alternatively positioned at the station, grip the tiles and transfer them, placing them to form contiguous stacks on a support structure. The pliers then transfer the readied stacks to a packing station. The main drawbacks and disadvantages of the illustrated apparatus can be ascribed to a certain unwieldiness, to the relevant masses and weights involved and to a certain heaviness of the structural apparatus used to support and move the pliers, which must be suitable for moving stacks of tiles or slabs. To this can be added the fact that the apparatus is constitutionally unable to support the normal work rhythm required for sorting and packing lines.

The present invention obviates the above-mentioned drawbacks, as it is characterised in the claims. Disclosure of Invention Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the detailed description that follows of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the present invention, illustrated by way of non- limiting example in the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which: figure 1 is a schematic plan view from above; figure 2 is a schematic lateral view; figure 3 is an enlarged-scale view of a part of the view of figure 2, partially sectioned with some parts removed better to evidence others; figure 4 is an enlarged-scale view of a further part of the view of figure 2, partially sectioned with some parts removed better to evidence others; figure 5 is a further-enlarged scale view of a detail of the section along line V-V of figure 2.

The figures relate to an apparatus for sorting objects, which essentially has the function of separating objects coming from a continuous conveyor line 1, along which the objects are essentially transferred in a line and appropriately distanced from one another, on the basis of their different characteristics, such as then to enable their being collected in groups characterised by homogeneous features. In the illustrated embodiment the objects are slabs or tiles 10 (ceramic or made of other materials) which once sorted can be grouped together to form homogeneous packs.

The apparatus comprises gripping means 5 which grip the objects, which in the illustrated example are slabs or tiles 10, conveyed, for example, singly by a conveyor line 1 located upstream, and which transfer the objects 10 to predetermined temporary storage points on the trajectory on a support structure 2 provided for the purpose.

Control and managing means are not described in detail herein, as they belong to the prior art; these means have the task of predefining time-by- time the predetermined temporary storage points in the trajectory and of enabling the points to be identified in order that the objects 10 can be subsequently removed.

The apparatus further comprises transfer means for collecting, on command, the objects, slabs or tiles 10 from the support structure 2 in order to transfer them to a downstream station, which can be, for example, a coupling-decoupling station 3 where the objects, slabs or tiles 10 are deposited and coupled or decoupled to form stacks which will then be used for subsequent operations such as, for example, packing.

The gripping means 5 transfer the objects, slabs or tiles 10 along a trajectory which develops parallel to the support structure 2. The gripping means 5 are commanded to move along parallel horizontal guides 40 and

41 by which they are supported. Each gripping means 5 comprises a main carriage 50, slidably coupled in a longitudinal direction to the horizontal guides 40 and 41, to which carriage 50 a secondary carriage 51 is constrained, with freedom in relative commanded motion in a perpendicular direction to the sliding direction of the main carriage 50, which secondary carriage 51 inferiorly bears the gripping organs for gripping the objects, slabs or tiles 10. The gripping organs borne inferiorly by each secondary carriage 51 are, in the illustrated embodiment, constituted by sucker gripping organs 52 which are distributed such as to identify a gripping plane positioned to be arranged above the conveyor line 1.

Two of the gripping organs 5 are substantially identical and positioned symmetrically to one another. The main carriages 50 are coupled on guide pairs 40 and 41 fixed to a single beam 4 symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the beam and to the vertical median plane containing the axis. The beam 4 has a straight transversal section, symmetrical with respect to the vertical median plane.

In greater detail, the main carriage 50 of each gripping means is activated by a mechanical chain transmission 53 which is housed internally of a longitudinal cavity afforded by the beam 4, and receives drive from drive cogwheels 57 activated by a motor 59.

The vertical motion in two directions of the secondary carriage 51 with respect to the main carriage 50 is realised by means of a coupling of a drive cogwheel 55 with a vertical cogged belt 54 fixed at a top end thereof, the drive cogwheel 55 being commanded by a motor (not illustrated in the figures) and being maintained enmeshed to the cogging of the cogged belt 54 by a contrast wheel 56.

At least an expelling cylinder 58 is associated to the frame portion of the secondary carriage 51 which inferiorly bears the sucker gripping organs 52, which expelling cylinder 58 is commanded to facilitate detachment of the objects, slabs or tiles 10 during the release stage of the sucker gripping organs 52.

The support structure 2 is located inferiorly at a predetermined distance from the beam 4 and the overlying horizontal guides 40 and 41 as well as from the gripping organs 5.

The support structure 2 comprises at least two parallel bars 20 located at a predetermined reciprocal distance and identifying, with the upper surfaces thereof, a horizontal rest plane destined to restingly receive the objects, slabs or tiles 10 deposited thereon by the gripping means 5 which operate, in a known way, by means of the sucker gripping organs 52. The providing of two gripping means has the aim of enabling an adequate working speed for the apparatus. The interference of the two lower parts of the secondary carriages 51 bearing the sucker gripping organs 52 is prevented in normal functioning by suitably commanding the movement and positioning thereof in the respective work cycles. The transfer means, the task of which is to commandedly collect the objects, slabs or tiles 10 from the support structure 2 (constituted by the bars 20) in order to transfer them onto a downstream station which, in the illustrated example, is constituted by a coupling-decoupling station 3 (but might be a simple collecting station), essentially comprise two platforms 6 located by a side of the bars 20. The platforms 6 are of such a size as to interact and enter into resting contact with a part of the lower surface of objects, slabs or tiles 10 rested on the parallel bars themselves at predetermined or known points.

The platforms 6 are on command mobile synchronously from at least an inactive position beneath the rest plane for the objects, slabs or tiles 10, identified by the upper surface of the bars 20 and at least a position superior of the plane at which the objects, slabs or tiles 10, which may be at present resting on the bars 20 no longer rest thereon, but only on the platforms 6 and are therefore movable by the platforms 6 for transfer to the downstream coupling-decoupling station 3. The movement in the two vertical directions of the platforms 6, which are supported on mobile carriages 16 slidably vertically, is performed by vertical-axis actuators 26.

To actuate the transferring motion of the homogeneous objects, slabs or tiles 10, which may be single but are normally arranged to form homogeneous stacks (having same characteristics), from the point of collection identified on the support structure 2 to the coupling-decoupling station 3, the platforms 6 are commandably mobile in translation, synchronously and in the two directions (from the support structure 2 to the coupling-decoupling station 3 and vice versa) as they are supported by the carriages 16 which slide along guides 7 which are parallel to and lower than the parallel bars 20.

The carriages 16 are slidably moved along the guides 7 by means of usual belt transmissions in which cogged belts 46 are drawn in motion by drive pulleys 68 fixed on a same command shaft 66 activated by a motor 67. In a further embodiment, not shown in the accompanying figures of the drawings, the gripping organs inferiorly borne by each secondary carriage 51 can be constituted by plier gripping organs which are positioned above the conveyor line 1 in order to be able to laterally grip the objects, slabs or tiles 10. During normal functioning the apparatus sorts the objects, slabs or tiles 10 supplied by the conveyor line 1 along which the objects 10 are transferred in a line, continuously and variously distanced from one another (they can also be very close to one another, the sole limit being constituted by a distance which is sufficient not to enable reciprocal damage by contact). The objects 10 have to be sorted, i.e. separated from one another on the basis of the characteristics of each object 10, which characteristics have been determined before sorting. The collection is performed without interruption of infeeding motion into the line 1 by the sucker gripping organs 52 associated to the secondary carriage of one of the two gripping means 5, which gripping means 5 is commanded to move such as to match, at least for the time necessary for performing the collection, the component of velocity thereof parallel to the conveyor line 1 to the conveyor velocity of the line itself.

Once the single object, slab or tile 10 has been collected from the conveyor line 1, the gripping means 5 proceeds in the run thereof up until the moment of depositing the object, slab or tile 10 at a predetermined point of the support structure 2. The deposit is performed very simply with the release of the object, slab or tile 10 by the sucker gripping organs 52 with the help of the cylinder 58 if necessary. The predetermined deposit point is simply a point the position of which is memorised as associated to an object, slab or tile 10 which has been previously selected as having one or more characteristics identifying it. Once release has been effected, the gripping means 5, now unloaded, can return for a new collecting cycle. The two gripping means 5 operate independently of one another, but are synchronised such as to prevent any possibility of reciprocal interference. The above-described operation is identically cyclically repeated with the depositing at the same point of other objects, slabs or tiles 10 which exhibit the same characteristics on the basis of the selection previously performed. This means that at a same predetermined point a stack of objects, slabs or tiles 10 is built up, up to reaching a predetermined number of objects, slabs or tiles 10.

The stack of objects, slabs or tiles 10 is then collected by the platforms 6 operating entirely independently of the gripping means 5, and transferred from the predetermined point occupied on the support structure 2 to the coupling and decoupling station 3 (where the objects, slabs or tiles 10 can be further united or separated in order to form packs having the desired composition).

The structure and the operating configuration of the invention enable high functioning elasticity as well as a high level of velocity, all of which enable the invention to be combined in-line without affecting the speed of selection lines of ceramic products.

Claims

Claims.

1). An apparatus for sorting objects, wherein it comprises: gripping means (5) for operating a gripping of objects (10) conveyed on a conveyor line (1) located upstream, transferring the objects (10) along a trajectory and depositing the objects (10) at predetermined temporary depositing points along the trajectory on a predisposed support structure (2); transfer means for removing on command the objects (10) from the support structure (1) in order to transfer the objects (10) to a station downstream; means being included for predefining the predetermined points of the trajectory and for enabling identification of the points for a subsequent removal operation. 2). The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gripping means (5) are commanded to move along parallel horizontal guides (40, 41) by which they are supported; each of the gripping means (5) comprising a main carriage (50), slidably coupled in a longitudinal direction to the horizontal guides (40, 41), to which main carriage (50) a secondary carriage (51) is constrained, with possibility of relative motion of the main carriage (50) and the secondary carriage (51) commanded in a perpendicular direction to the sliding direction of the main carriage (50), which secondary carriage (51) inferiorly bears gripping organs for performing a gripping of the objects.

3). The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the support structure (2) is located inferiorly at a predetermined distance from the overlying horizontal guides (40, 41) and from the relative gripping means (5); the support structure (2) comprising at least two parallel bars (20) located at a predetermined reciprocal distance and identifying, with upper surfaces thereof, a horizontal rest plane for restingly receiving the objects deposited thereon by the gripping means (5).

4). The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the commandable transfer means for removing the objects (10) from the support structure (2) in order to transfer the objects (10) to the downstream station comprise platforms (6) located at least by a side of the parallel bars (20) and being of such a size as to interact and enter into resting contact with a part of the lower surface of objects (10) resting on the parallel bars (20); the platforms (6) being on command mobile synchronously from at least an inactive position thereof below the rest plane for the objects (10) identified by the upper surfaces of the parallel bars (20) to at least a position thereof above the plane, and being translatable synchronously in two directions from the support structure (2) to a coupling/uncoupling (3) station inasmuch as they are supported by commandedly mobile carriages (16) along lower horizontal guides (7) parallel to the parallel bars (20).

5). The apparatus of claim 4, wherein it comprises two gripping means (5) positioned symmetrically with respect to one another; the main carriages (50) of the two gripping means (5) being coupled on pairs of the guides (40,41) which are fixed to a single beam (4) symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis of the beam (4) and to the vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis.

6).The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the main carriage (50) of each gripping means (5) is activated by a mechanical belt transmission (53) which is housed internally of a longitudinal cavity afforded in a beam (4), the two-way vertical movement of the secondary carriage (51) with respect to the main carriage (50) being realised by a coupling with a vertical cogged belt (54), fixed at an upper end thereof, of a cogged drive wheel (55) maintained enmeshed with the cogging by a contrast wheel (56). 7). The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least an expelling cylinder (58) is associated to a portion of frame of the second carriage (51) which inferiorly bears the gripping organs, which expelling cylinder (58) is commandably activated to facilitate a detachment of the objects during a stage of release thereof from the gripping organs.

8). The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the platforms (6), which are supported by the carriages (16), are constrained to the carriages (16) slidably in a vertical direction by means of vertical-axis actuators (26).

9). The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the carriages (16), which support the platforms (6), are slidably mounted on guides (7) parallel to the bars (20) and are moved along the guides by belt transmission means in which belts

(46) are drawn in motion by drive pulleys (68) fixed on a same command shaft (66).

10). The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the gripping organs borne inferiorly by each secondary carriage (51) are constituted by sucker gripping organs

(52) which are distributed such as to identify a gripping plane positioned in order that it can be arranged above the conveyor line (1).

11). The apparatus of claims from 1 to 9, wherein the gripping organs borne inferiorly by each secondary carriage (51) are constituted by plier gripping organs which are positioned above the conveyor line (1) in order to be able to grip the objects (10) laterally.

12). The apparatus of claim 10 or 11, wherein the objects (10) have a slab or tile shape.

13). The apparatus of the preceding claims, wherein the downstream station is a coupling-uncoupling station (3) where the objects (10) are deposited and coupled or uncoupled to form piles or are simply removed.

14). A method for sorting objects, wherein it comprises: gripping means (5) for operating a gripping of objects (10) conveyed singly on a conveyor line

(1) located upstream, transferring the objects (10) along a path and depositing the objects at predetermined temporary depositing points on a predisposed support structure (2); transfer means for removing on command the objects from the support structure (2) in order to transfer the objects (10) to a station located downstream.

15). The method for sorting objects of the preceding claim, wherein the downstream station is a coupling-uncoupling station (3) where the objects are deposited and coupled or uncoupled to form piles or are simply- removed.