EP3056440B1 - Packaging plant with object carrier - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a packaging system according to claim 1.

The EP2,883,684 discloses a packaging plant comprising a packaging machine, a tray insertion station, and a sealed package removal station. In this case, slides are provided, each of which can accommodate a large number of trays, so-called trays. The slides are conveyed by conveyor belts from one station or packaging machine to the other station. For example, all trays are placed in a slide at the insertion station, while it is stopped in a designated position. Such a disclosed automated device for loading the trays is still somewhat inflexible, despite all its merits.

Also the EP 0 559 293 A1 discloses a packaging machine in which slides are processed.

The object of the present invention is to provide an even more flexible and efficient operation of such a packaging system.

This object is achieved by a packaging system with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

A packaging system according to the invention comprises a packaging machine, a transport system, at least one processing unit and a plurality of multi-row slides, and is characterized in that along the transport system several stop systems are provided, which are configured to a single slide in an intermittent mode on successive locking elements of this To suspend slide for processing by the processing unit of at least one row of trays. The advantage is a significantly reduced conversion effort in the machining units, since only tools for machining a number of trays, products or packaging must be replaced. The processing units need not include elaborate tools for large formats with multiple rows and tracks, but only for one row.

The slide comprises in a support plate a two-dimensional array of receptacles for packaging trays with n rows and m tracks and is characterized in that the slide has a plurality of locking elements which are provided on one or two in operation parallel to an intended transport direction outer sides. Here, n and m are integer numbers and are each at least 2. By means of the latching elements, the slide is stopped in various positions on a conveyor belt on a processing unit, so that the processing unit can each successively edit a single row or a group of adjacent rows of trays. This reduces the cost and effort of the processing unit and increases flexibility, as opposed to simultaneously processing an entire format consisting of multiple rows and tracks.

By arranging the latching elements on the outer sides parallel to the intended transport direction, a latching element can be provided in each case on one of the n rows, since a row of receptacles, trays or packages of a slide is oriented transversely to a transport direction.

For the purposes of the invention, recording means a depression or even a through opening into which a packaging tray can be inserted, so that this tray retains a defined position on the microscope slide during transport by means of the microscope slide. If the shell has an edge, e.g. be provided within the recording a paragraph or in addition to the recording a recording circumferential ridge on which the shell edge can rest.

The support plate of the slide preferably has a length and width of at least 300 mm x 300 mm. For their strength, values of 10 to 30 mm have proved favorable. The support plate may for example comprise aluminum or stainless steel or even be made entirely from one of these two materials.

It is conceivable that the latching elements are formed integrally with the carrier plate, for example by a milling operation.

Preferably, the locking elements are arranged on one or both sides of the slide, for example on corresponding outer sides of the support plate of the slide, equidistantly from each other. In this case, the spacing of adjacent latching elements on the same side of the slide preferably corresponds to the distance (for example the center distance) of the recordings of adjacent rows of recordings or an integral multiple thereof. It is conceivable, for example, that the distance between adjacent locking elements corresponds to two or three times the distance between two rows of shots to each other.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the slide on a locking element per row, in order to achieve a low design and cost outlay on the tools of the processing units.

An associated centering element is preferably provided for each latching element in order to minimize or eliminate a possible play of the latching element on a stop system by means of a centering device of the processing unit, so that a maximum Positioning accuracy can be achieved. In this case, the centering element is preferably a centering hole in order to be able to interact in a structurally simple manner with a centering pin.

The processing unit of the packaging installation is preferably a tray inserter, a filler, a product inlay, a topper, a robot or a labeler.

The packaging machine is preferably a tray sealing machine to seal a lidding sheet to the trays contained in the slides and filled with product. Before sealing, the trays can still be evacuated and / or fumigated to extend the shelf life of the products.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the processing unit comprises a centering device in order to align the object carrier by means of the centering element. Thus, an exact position of the slide or the row is reached to the tool of the processing unit.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Verpackungsanlage,

Fig. 2

eine Ansicht eines Stopsystems mit einem Objektträger,

Fig. 3

eine Einzelansicht des Objektträgers,

Fig. 4

eine erste Variante des Objektträgers,

Fig. 5

eine zweite Variante des Objektträgers,

Fig. 6

eine Draufsicht eines Stopsystems in der Warteposition,

Fig. 7

eine Draufsicht des Stopsystems in der Arbeitsposition,

Fig. 8

eine Draufsicht des Stopsystems in der Freigabeposition,

Fig. 9

eine Frontansicht des Stopsystems in der Warteposition und

Fig. 10

eine Frontansicht des Stopsystems in der Arbeitsposition.

In the following, an advantageous embodiment of the invention is explained in detail with reference to a drawing. In detail show:

Fig. 1

a schematic view of a packaging system according to the invention,

Fig. 2

a view of a stop system with a slide,

Fig. 3

a single view of the slide,

Fig. 4

a first variant of the slide,

Fig. 5

a second variant of the slide,

Fig. 6

a top view of a stop system in the waiting position,

Fig. 7

a top view of the stop system in the working position,

Fig. 8

a top view of the stop system in the release position,

Fig. 9

a front view of the stop system in the waiting position and

Fig. 10

a front view of the stop system in the working position.

The same components are provided throughout the figures with the same reference numerals.

Fig. 1 1 shows a schematic view of a packaging installation 1 according to the invention with a tray closing machine 2 and a transport system 3 with a transport direction T. The tray closing machine 2 in the transport direction T are processing units such as a labeler 4 for labeling finished packages, a removal device 5, a tray 6 for trays a slide 10, a filler 7 and a depositor 8 for example, manually insert other products or for placing a lid provided. In this case, the packaging system 1 by means of the transport system 3, which comprises a plurality of conveyor belts 9, an annular closed transport path for the slide 10 on. Relative to a single conveyor belt 9, the transport direction of this conveyor belt 9 during operation is designated T. With respect to the entire transport system 3, T denotes the direction of rotation of the slides 10 along the entire annularly closed transport system 3.

Each of the processing units 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 has a stop system 11. The slides 10 have on their left in the transport direction T side 10a, ie on the inside of the annular closed transport path side facing three locking elements 12, so that the stop system 11, the slide 10 successively, in an intermittent Operation, stops at the individual locking elements 12 and thus allows partial processing of a respective subset of the shells 13 in the slide (10). This subgroup contains in each case all the shells 13 in one, two or for example also three adjacent rows R of receptacles 14. The exact positioning of the shells 13 to the processing units 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 is achieved by the assignment of the detent elements 12 to the stop system 11 and thus to the processing unit 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 realized.

Fig. 2 shows a view of the stop system 11 with the slide 10 in a position in which in the transport direction T of the conveyor belt 9 foremost locking element 12 is stopped by the stop system 11, so that a respective, not shown in detail processing unit 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 can process the first row R of trays 13, products or already sealed packs.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of a slide 10 having a field F with n = 6 rows R and m = 4 tracks S of recesses 14 in a support plate 14a, each recess is suitable for receiving each a packaging tray 13, ie as a receptacle 14th The slide 10 is thus configured to receive twenty four shells 13 in twenty four receptacles 14. The slide 10 has two mutually parallel outer sides 10a, 10b, which are here two mutually parallel outer sides of the support plate 14a. Adjacent rows R of receptacles 14 have a distance A from each other. As in FIG. 3 shown, this distance A can be measured either as a center distance of two adjacent rows R, or as a distance between corresponding outer edges of the receptacles A in two mutually adjacent rows R.

On the left in the transport direction T side 10a of the slide 10 is a locking element 12 is provided per row R. In this case, the latching element 12 is arranged at least approximately in alignment with the axis of symmetry a of the rows R. A stop system 11 can stop this slide 10 for each individual row R in order to enable processing of individual rows R of shells 13 successively in succession by means of the processing unit 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. In the region of the latching elements 12, a centering element 24 in the form of a centering hole is provided for each latching element 12 in order to be exactly positionable with an associated centering device of the processing unit 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. The locking elements 12 on the side 10a of the slide 10 are arranged equidistant from each other. Adjacent latching elements 12 have a distance B from one another, which is identical here to the distance A between two rows R of receptacles 14.

Fig. 4 shows a first variant of the slide 10, wherein as in Fig. 3 also twenty-four receptacles 14 are provided, but here with only three locking elements 12. In this embodiment, a processing of two rows R or eight shells 13 by means of the processing unit 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 is provided. For distance B, B = 2 * A.

Fig. 5 shows a second variant with a different geometric shape of the individual shell receptacles 14 and a division of the field F of the shell receptacles 14 with n = 4 rows R and m = 3 tracks S, so with a capacity of twelve shells 13. Analog to Fig. 3 each row R a locking element 12 is provided. This division allows either a row stopping for processing individual rows R or stopping each second locking element 12, wherein a simultaneous processing of two rows R is provided.

Fig. 6 shows a plan view of the stop system 11 in a waiting position for receiving the next incoming in the direction of transport T latching element 12 of a slide 10. The stop system 11 has a return pawl 15, which by means of a spring element 16, designed here as a spring plate on a frame 17 of the stop system 11 is arranged. There is a limiting element 18, which is also attached to the frame 17, provided to limit the movement of the return pawl 15 in the direction of the slide 10. The stop system 11 provides a stop 19, which is movable via a damping device 20 in the transport direction T by the locking element 12 of the slide 10, namely so far that the locking element 12 is held between the return latch 15 and the stop 19 in a working position without play, such as in Fig. 7 shown.

During the transport movement of the slide 10, the locking element 12 presses with its outer side 12 a, the return pawl 15 in the arrow direction away so that the spring element 16 experiences an increased bias. After the locking element 12 has moved past with its outer side 12a on the return pawl 15 in the transport direction T, the return pawl 15 back against the arrow direction back to the position in which the return pawl 15 rests against the boundary 18. During the movement of the locking element 12 along the return pawl 15 presses a front side 12b of the locking element 12 against the stop 19 and moves it against the damping device 20, which slows down this movement and brings approximately or directly to a stop 20 a of the damping device 20 to a standstill. This position corresponds to the position at which the outer side 12 a of the locking element 12 has left the return pawl 15 and this opposite to the arrow ( Fig. 6 ) springs back and so the locking element 12 approximately free of play or at least with a tolerance of +/- 0.3 mm relative to the stop system 11 and thus to the workstation 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 stopped and positioned. This is in Fig. 7 shown in a plan view of the stop system 11 in the working position.

Fig. 8 shows a plan view of the stop system 11 in a release position in which the stop 19 in the arrow direction was removed from the slide 10 in the stop system 11 by means of a pneumatic cylinder 21 retracted to allow the movement of the slide 10 in the transport direction T. After the latching element 12 has been moved past the stop 19, the pneumatic cylinder 21 pushes the stop 19 against the arrow direction back into the working position when the next incoming latching element 12 of the current or a subsequent slide 10 for processing by the processing unit 4, 5, 6 , 7, 8 should be stopped. A sensor 22 of the stop system 11 is configured such that it can detect whether a locking element 12 is in its working position on the stop 19, and also can detect whether or that the locking element 12 after moving away of the stopper 19 perpendicular to the transport direction T. has left the range of movement of the stop 19. It is expedient if the sensor 22 alone can detect the position of the latching element, without being influenced by the presence or absence of the stopper 19. For this purpose, for example, the locking element 12 may be metallic and the stop 19 may be formed of a plastic. If, for example, an inductive or capacitive sensor is used as the sensor 22, then this alone detects the position of the latching element 12, uninfluenced by the presence or absence of the stopper 19.

Fig. 9 shows a front view of the stop system 11 in the waiting position, in which the stop 19 analogous to Fig. 5 has not yet been moved by a locking element 12 of a slide 10 to the right. Fig. 10 shows a front view of the stop system 11 in the working position, in which the stop 19 analogous to Fig. 7 so far moved to the right, so that in the FIGS. 9 and 10 latching element 12 is not shown between the return latch 15 and the stop 19 is held. The sensor 22 is above the 19 arranged stop. It is also conceivable arrangement of the sensor 22 below the stopper 19 to be activated in the same manner by the locking element 12.

It is also a variant of the slide 10 is conceivable that on two opposite sides, namely in the transport direction T right and left outside, locking elements 12 have to provide at different processing units 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, the stop system 11 on different sides to be able to. In this case, the position of the latching elements 12 of the two sides may be different from the alignment, for example, with respect to the axis of symmetry A, of the rows R.

Each processing unit 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 may have its own control; or a controller 23 of the tray sealing machine 2, as in FIG Fig. 1 illustrated controls one or more stop systems 11 along the transport system 2 and optionally also one or more processing units 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

In the Fig. 1 shown conveyor belts 9 may have a continuous speed, which, for example, as conveyor belts configured conveyor belts 9 have a friction, which allows the slides 10 can be stopped by the stop systems 11, while the conveyor belts 9 continue to move under the overhead slides 10.

As an alternative to a stop 19 which can be moved in the transport direction T and acts together with a damping device 20, a stop fixedly mounted in the transport direction on the stop system 11 can also be provided. In such an embodiment, the slide 10 is braked over the controlled speed of the conveyor belt 9 driven to the stop 19 to prevent their spilling over from the shell 13, especially in liquid or pasty products.

Claims (11)

1. Packaging system (1) comprising a packaging machine (2), a transport system (3), at least one processing unit (4, 5, 6, 7, 8), and several object carriers (10), wherein each object carrier (10) comprises a carrier plate (14a) in which a two-dimensional array (F) of receptacles (14) for receiving packaging trays (13) is provided, where said receptacles (14) are arranged in n rows (R) and m lanes (S), where n and m are integers and each ≥ 2, and wherein said object carrier (10) comprises two mutually parallel outer sides (10a, 10b), characterized in that each object carrier (10) comprises several catching elements (12) which are provided at one of or both said outer sides (10a, 10b) of said object carrier (10).
2. Packaging system according to claim 1, characterized in that said mutually parallel outer sides (10a, 10b) of said object carrier (10) are outer sides of said carrier plate (14a).
3. Packaging system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said carrier plate (14a) has a length and width of at least 300 mm x 300 mm.
4. Packaging system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that adjacent rows (R) of receptacles (14) are spaced at a distance (A), and in that mutually adjacent catching elements (12) on an outer side of said object carrier (10) are spaced at a distance (B) which corresponds to distance (A) or an integral multiple thereof.
5. Packaging system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said object carrier (10) on said one or both outer sides (10a, 10b) provided with catching elements (12) comprises one catching element (12) for each row (R) of receptacles (14).
6. Packaging system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said carrier plate (14a) comprises aluminum or stainless steel.
7. Packaging system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, an associated centering element (24) is provided for each catching element (12).
8. Packaging system according to claim 7, characterized in that said centering element (24) is a centering hole according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more stop systems (11) are provided along said transport system (3) and configured to stop an individual object carrier (10) in an intermittent mode at the consecutive catching elements (12) of said object carrier (10) to have at least one row (R) of trays (13) be processed by said processing unit (4, 5, 6, 7, 8).
9. Packaging system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said processing unit (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) is a tray loader (6), a filler (7), a product loader (8), a capper, a robot, or a labeler (4).
10. Packaging system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said packaging machine (2) is a tray sealer.
11. Packaging system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said processing unit (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) comprises a centering device being configured to align said object carrier (10) by way of said centering element (24).

Images