Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B23/00—Packaging fragile or shock-sensitive articles other than bottles; Unpacking eggs
  • B65B23/02—Packaging or unpacking eggs
  • B65B23/06—Arranging, feeding, or orientating the eggs to be packed; Removing eggs from trays or cartons
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
  • B65G47/34—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor 
  • B65G47/38—Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyor  by dumping, tripping, or releasing load carriers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
  • B65G47/52—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices
  • B65G47/53—Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors i.e. discharging or feeding devices between conveyors which cross one another
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G2201/00—Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled
  • B65G2201/02—Articles
  • B65G2201/0202—Agricultural and processed food products
  • B65G2201/0208—Eggs

Definitions

• the present invention concerns an apparatus for conveying eggs
• first endless conveyor for at least gathering and characterizing the eggs, wherein the first conveyor comprises at least a single conveying row of egg carriers in the forward conveying direction T, and
• a second endless conveyor for taking over the eggs from the first conveyor and for thereupon conveying and sorting the eggs
• the second conveyor is arranged under the first conveyor in a direction P and thereby crosses the first conveyor, with at least a single conveying row of egg carriers in the direction P,
• Such an apparatus is known from EP2174896. It discloses how eggs of a supply conveyor can be handed over to a sorting conveyor which is placed under the first conveyor in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto. Such supply and conveyance proceed in substantially horizontal planes. These conveyors carry the eggs in egg carriers, typically called pockets. In the transfer of the eggs from the first conveyor to the second, a speed is imparted to the eggs in the conveying direction of the second conveyor to compensate for the difference in speed in that direction. This compensation may be such that this speed is approximately the same as the speed of the second conveyor, so that in that direction the relative speed is
• the overall difference in speed i.e., the vectorial speed difference
• the overall difference in speed is reduced, so that, given such a difference, eggs will be less subject to shocks, hence there will be less risk of breakage of these eggs.
• the eggs at set forward speeds, may be subject to jolting movements before being received in the cups.
• the eggs at relatively high speeds, at typical values of up to substantially about 0.5 m/s, the eggs will end up slightly wide of the proper location.
• the apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the eggs are handed over from the first to the second conveyor with a relative speed in the conveying direction T of approximately 0 m/s in receiving the eggs in the egg carriers of the second conveyor.
• the apparatus is characterized in that the egg carriers of the second conveyor, at least in said taking over, are movable in the direction T.
• a similar manner of displacement is applied in the second conveyor, which both provides the advantage of the speed compensation in the direction T and simplifies the manner of construction of such a conveyor, as part of a whole system.
• the egg carriers of the first conveyor and, for example, the egg carriers of the second conveyor, can each comprise two carrier halves, which carrier halves are movable between an egg conveying position and an egg release position for carrying and delivering an egg, respectively.
• the egg carriers of the second conveyor can be cups or trays.
• the cups or trays may, for example, be movable between a carrier or conveying position and a release position, the cups or trays being pivotable about an axis perpendicular to the corresponding conveying direction of the cups or trays.
• the invention provides an advantageous method which is characterized by the measures of claim 9. In this manner, the above- mentioned advantages can be achieved.
• FIG. 1 schematically shows a top plan view of a conveying system according to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 2 shows an isometric view, obliquely from above, of the same part of the apparatus as represented in FIG. 1, and
• FIG. 3 schematically shows a further elaboration of the conveying system.
• the same parts and denotations are marked with the same symbols.
• the Figures show an example of an apparatus for conveying eggs E.
• the apparatus comprises a first endless conveyor 1 for at least gathering and characterizing the eggs E.
• the first conveyor 1 comprises at least a single conveying row of first egg carriers 11.
• the apparatus comprises a second endless conveyor 2, with second egg carriers 21, for receiving the eggs E from the first conveyor 1, and for thereupon conveying and sorting the eggs E.
• the second conveyor 2 is arranged under the first conveyor 1, and crosses the first conveyor 1, at a transfer path thereof.
• An endless path provided by the first conveyor 1 is continued, seen from the respective first main conveying direction T, in a reverse direction indicated with arrow cl.
• An endless path provided by the second conveyor 2 is continued, seen from the second main conveying direction P, in a reverse direction indicated with arrow c2.
• the conveyors 1, 2 are in substantially horizontal positions.
• the first conveyor 1 is provided with (first) egg carriers 11; in the present exemplary embodiment eggs E are carried in a bottom part of the first conveyor (see FIG. 2), in the respective first conveying direction T.
• the first egg carriers 11 are advanced with a first conveying speed in that first main direction T.
• the second conveyor 2 is provided with (second) egg carriers 21; in the exemplary embodiment eggs E are carried in a top part of the second conveyor 2, in the respective second conveying direction P.
• the second egg carriers 21 are advanced with a second conveying speed in that second main direction P.
• the egg carriers 11, 21 of this example are each built up from egg carrier halves 12a, 12b, 22a, 22b, respectively. These are slidably mounted on carrier guides 13a, 13b, 23a, 23b.
• the egg carriers 11 of the first conveyor are slidably mounted on first carrier guides 13a, 13b in a sliding direction that is parallel to the conveying direction of the second conveyor P.
• the egg carriers 21 of the second conveyor are slidably mounted on second carrier guides 23a, 23b in a sliding direction that is parallel to the conveying direction of the first conveyor T.
• FIGS. 1 and 2 it is indicated in what manner the egg carriers 11, 21 of the conveyors 1, 2 are grouped in the main conveying directions T, P, according to rows 10, 20. More particularly, for the first conveyor 1 four rows 10a ; 10b, 10c, lOd are shown and for the second conveyor two rows 20a, 20b.
• the carrier halves 12a, 12b, 22a, 22b are movable between a closed carrier or conveying position and, after opening of the halves, a release position whereby the eggs E are released or delivered, and then, under the influence of gravity, traverse a falling movement in order to be received.
• the apparatus is configured such that the first carriers 11 are brought from the conveying position to the release position while traversing a transfer path, to transfer eggs to the carriers 21 of the second conveyor 2.
• the apparatus is configured such that the first carriers 11 are brought from the conveying position to the release position while traversing a transfer path, to transfer eggs to the carriers 21 of the second conveyor 2.
• the intermediate distance between the rows 10 of the first supply conveyor 1 will have to be approximately equal to the distance between the egg carriers 21 within each row 20a, 20b of the second conveyor 2.
• the forward speeds (in the main conveying directions T, P) of the two conveyors 1 and 2 will have to be tuned to each other, in particular, such that at the transfer path, in each case, just as many second egg carriers 21 are present as first egg carriers 11.
• eggs E from two columns of four adjacent rows 10 of the first conveyor 1 are transferred to four columns of two adjacent rows 20 of the second conveyor 2.
• the speed of the second conveyor 2 is then twice as high as the speed of the first conveyor 1. It will be clear that many other speed ratios are possible. These will depend on desired capacities and constructional possibilities of the conveyors 1, 2.
• the present invention is configured such that the vectorial speed of an egg-delivering first egg carrier 11 (measured, with respect to a fixed point, in the two main conveying directions T, P) and the vectorial speed of a corresponding egg-receiving second egg carrier 21 (measured with respect to the above-mentioned fixed point, in the two main conveying directions T, P) are substantially equal to each other during egg transfer.
• the configuration is such that a vectorial speed difference between each pair of first and second egg carriers 11, 21 which for egg transfer are located proximal to each other (and opposite each other, seen in top plan view) in a transfer area is substantially zero m/s.
• compensation devices have been arranged for both the conveyor 1 and the conveyor 2, viz., a P-compensation unit 24 to impart to the eggs E in conveyor 1 the proper speed in the main conveying direction P of the conveyor 2 (i.e., the above-mentioned second conveying speed, in the second main conveying direction P) and a
• T-compensation unit 14 to impart to the eggs E in the conveyor 2 the proper speed in the main conveying direction T (i.e., the above-mentioned first conveying speed, in the first main conveying direction T).
• these compensations have to be such that with the P-compensation 24, in accordance with the earlier-mentioned ratio, the factor of "twice" has to be achieved, while the T-compensation 14 imparts to the egg carriers 21 of the second conveyor 2 the proper speed in the direction T.
• the P-compensation 24 is constructed such that with compensation beams 24a, 24b the carrier halves 12a, 12b are slid over the guide rails 13a, 13b with the proper speed (i.e., the second conveying speed) in the direction P.
• the proper speed i.e., the second conveying speed
• the first carriers 11 are brought to the release position during this sliding movement, to deliver eggs E present in the carriers.
• the T-compensation comprises a main beam 14c which is connected with a rotary mechanism with two steering beams 14a, 14b which, for example, makes a rotary movement and, each time when there is a next set of eight carriers 21 in the two rows 20a, 20b of the second conveyor 2, causes these carriers 21 to slide in the T direction (with the first conveying speed) over the guide rails 23a, 23b.
• this rotation could also be a
• a different angle may be chosen for the beams 24, with a different rotary speed for the pivoting mechanism of the T-compensation.
• a gradual transfer involves two aspects, one concerning the magnitude and direction of the speed and the other concerning the moment of transfer or synchronization.
• FIG. 3 shows schematically a part of a further elaboration of the invention, which differs from the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the egg carriers of the second conveyor 2' are cups or trays 2 ⁇ .
• the cups or trays 2 ⁇ are movable between a carrier or conveying position and a release position, the cups or trays each being pivotable about a respective axis X which is perpendicular to the corresponding main conveying direction P of the cups or trays 21'.
• the operation of the example shown in FIG. 3 proceeds analogously to the above-described operation of the first example, shown in FIGS.
• a vectorial speed difference between each pair of first and second egg carriers 11, 21' which for egg transfer are located proximal to each other (and opposite each other, seen in top plan view) in a transfer area is substantially zero m/s.
• the apparatus is provided in particular with the above-mentioned compensation devices (not represented in FIG. 3).
• robot arms may be used.
• An example of fast-moving arms for transfer between crossing conveyors is described in WO2007/102732.
• a plurality of robot arms may be used, and also robot arms each having grippers with a plurality of pickup- conveying positions.
• Such applications will mainly be chosen on the basis of requirements regarding available space, capacity, and dimensioning of the construction of the conveyors used.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
• Intermediate Stations On Conveyors (AREA)
• Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
• Housing For Livestock And Birds (AREA)
• Discharge Of Articles From Conveyors (AREA)
• Relays Between Conveyors (AREA)
• Chain Conveyers (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=46579297

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Families Citing this family (8)

Citations (1)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2012
  • 2012-07-04 AU AU2012278404A patent/AU2012278404A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2012-07-04 CN CN201280033568.2A patent/CN103813961A/zh active Pending
  • 2012-07-04 EP EP12738647.2A patent/EP2729372A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2012-07-04 BR BR112014000153A patent/BR112014000153A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2012-07-04 WO PCT/NL2012/050471 patent/WO2013006052A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2012-07-04 JP JP2014518848A patent/JP6050346B2/ja active Active
  • 2012-07-04 MY MYPI2014700014A patent/MY168589A/en unknown
  • 2012-07-04 KR KR1020147002878A patent/KR20140062033A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2012-07-04 RU RU2014100988/13A patent/RU2014100988A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (1)

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