EP3606679A1

EP3606679A1 - System for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles

Info

Publication number: EP3606679A1
Application number: EP18716673.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gemma STASI
Original assignee: Adapta SpA
Current assignee: Adapta SpA
Priority date: 2017-04-05
Filing date: 2018-03-23
Publication date: 2020-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 2038-03-23
Also published as: WO2018185594A1; EP3606679B1; IT201700037485A1

Abstract

Method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles, according to the steps:(A) Separation in an area (9) in which a robot (10) picks an article (100) and hangs it on a hook (12), a robot (20) picks it and hangs it in front of an air jet (30) to spread it out in front of cameras and laser sensors (40-40'), to identify the type of article (100); the robot (20) places the article (100) on a transport mechanism (50-50'-50"-50"') dedicated to the type it belongs to;(B) Check in an area (55) with an air jet (56) that spreads out the article (100) while chromatic headlamps (58-58') illuminate it allowing the cameras (57-57') to detect the imperfections thereof; then sorting the conforming articles on a track (50.a) and the imperfect articles on a second track (50.b) towards a disposal area (80) from which they are returned to the second area (55) for a second check (B ); if they are stained, they are washed again; if they are pierced, they are destroyed; (C) Sanitization in a sealed area (60) with an air extractor (61) and a pressure sensor (62) to keep the area (60) in a vacuum while nebulizers (63-63') spray the article (100) with a disinfectant; (D) packaging by a packaging machine (90).

Description

"System for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles"

Description Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of industrial mechanics, in particular to sorting and packaging systems. Even more in detail, the present invention proposes a new and innovative system for sorting and packaging textile articles. Prior art

A plurality of packaging machinery and methods for articles or, more generally, for industrial products are known in the prior art. Very often, the need of the industry, before packaging, however, is to sort the objects by different types that are produced in the same plant.

At present, the automatic sorting system is particularly used by companies that deal with distribution and deliveries, such as postal services.

Several international patents aim to describe automatic product sorting systems that are sufficiently reliable. One of these is the recently issued patent AU 2015 293750, which claims a method for sorting postal items. The objects to be delivered are placed in a pile, picked one at a time, by a mechanical arm, from the top of the pile and placed in a rack, automatically creating, with a specific frequency, the digital images of the top of the pile. The sorting method described in said patent consists of the following steps: a) recording of the data of said digital images in the memory of a processor; b) comparison of said digital images to each other according to a predetermined principle of graphic similarity; c) association of a time of persistence with each image; d) application of a temporal filter to said image. The object of the patent is to count the postal items sorted and placed on said rack. As evidenced by this and by numerous other patents that fall within the same industrial sector, there is currently no automated method of sorting objects that is sufficiently reliable not to require human intervention or supervision.

In the case of an industry that produces and/or packages different objects, the only method to ensure a correct distribution of the objects in the corresponding packaging is the sorting carried out by hand by workers assigned to the separation of the objects.

The object of the present invention is therefore to propose a reliable and automated method which allows a correct sorting of objects of different types and their separate packaging. Even more in detail, the present invention specifically falls within the supply of textile articles for covering beds and includes a step of checking the cleanliness and integrity of said textile articles and sanitizing them before the final packaging.

Description of the invention

According to the present invention, a method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of a plurality of different types of articles is described. Said method is adapted to verify the conformity of said articles to predetermined standards of cleanliness and integrity of the material.

These articles come from a previous washing and drying step.

Said method consists in a plurality of steps to which a specific area is advantageously associated, which can also be sealed or, even more advantageously, decontaminated, with optionally sterile areas.

The steps are the following:

(A) separation step that occurs in a first area in which a first robot, provided with a clamp, is adapted to grip a single piece and hang it on a dedicated hook. In order to understand whether the first robot has actually picked only one item, said hook is provided with a loading cell which, advantageously, is adapted to understand, by analyzing the weight on the hook, the presence of one or more articles. At this point, a second robot, provided with a viewing system, is adapted to grip a single article from said hook by one of its corners. Said second robot, advantageously, hangs the article in front of an air jet that completely spreads out the article while a system of cameras and laser sensors identifies to which type the article in question belongs to. Once the type of article has been recognized, the second robot, which consists of a common mechanical arm, is adapted to place the article picked on a specific transport mechanism dedicated to that type of article and adapted to transport it hanging by at least one of the ends thereof;

(B) checking step that occurs in a second area consisting of a room with walls and ceiling. In this checking step B, the system verifies the conformity of each article with certain standard parameters. In particular, one wants to verify that the article in question is not stained, does not have thickenings and is not pierced. In this step, the previously sorted article is transferred inside said second area and is impinged by an air jet which results in the total spreading out thereof, which, advantageously, occurs in front of a plurality of cameras. At the same time, a plurality of chromatic headlamps illuminate said article at different predetermined frequencies. In this way, it is advantageously possible for said cameras to detect the presence of any type of stain, even if not visible to the naked eye, fouling or piercing. If the cameras identify any imperfection or discrepancy from the standard parameters, said article is placed in a second track that leads to a disposal area, while if the article is judged conforming, it is sent, via a first track, to a third area to continue with the processing steps. Advantageously, from said disposal area, the articles are reintroduced into said second area to be again subjected to a checking step B. If, during said second checking step B, the article is again considered to be not conforming to the standard due to a stain or a thickening, it is advantageously subjected to a new washing cycle, otherwise, if the non-conformity is due to a hole, it is disposed of or destroyed;

(C) sanitization step, which takes place in a third area, also consisting of a room with partition walls and ceiling. In particular, this third area will be advantageously sealed since, due to an air extractor and a pressure sensor, it is advantageously maintained in a slight vacuum with respect to the external environment. In this third area, when the article arrives there through said first track, the article is sprayed with a common disinfectant agent;

(D) packaging step that takes place with a common packaging machine which, after having collected a predetermined number of article of the same type, packages them with a common heat-shrink film to create a hermetically sealed package. This packaging step

D, in a different embodiment of the present invention, can provide for the packaging of a plurality of articles, each of which belonging to a different type.

Advantageously, with the method proposed by the present patent, it is not only possible to separate articles by type, but the number of articles disposed of or destroyed can be significantly reduced due to the second check (step B) of articles considered not conforming with the required standard.

The advantages offered by the present invention are clear in the light of the above description and will be even clearer from the accompanying figures and the related detailed description.

Description of the figures

The invention will hereinafter be described in at least one preferred embodiment thereof by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying figures, in which:

- FIGURE 1 shows in detail the separation step (A) which takes place in the first area 9. The first robot 10 is seen with the clamp 11, the second robot 20 with the viewing system 21, the upper hook 12 with the loading cell 13 and an article 100 hanging thereon; there are also shown the laser cameras and sensors 40-40', the air jet 30 and the four transport mechanisms 50-50' -50"- 50"' differentiated by type of article 100.

- FIGURE 2 shows in detail the checking step (B) which takes place in the second area 55. There are shown the transport mechanism 50 of a type of article 100, the cameras 57-57', the chromatic headlamps 58-58' and the air jet 56.

- FIGURE 3 shows in detail the sanitization step (A) which takes place in the third area 60. The transport mechanism 50. a is shown, on which a conforming article 100 is hung. Furthermore, the atomizers 63-63', the air extractor 61 and the pressure sensor 62 can be seen.

- FIGURE 4 shows a diagram of a possible system for the automatic separation, check and packaging of a plurality of articles to the present invention. From the first area 9, four different transport mechanisms 50-50'-50'-50"' depart, one for each type of article. Each of them ends in a second area 55 from which a pair of transport mechanisms 50.a-50.b, 50' . a- 50'. b, 50".a-50".b, 50"' .a-50"' .b depart which bring the conforming articles to the third area 60 and, subsequently, to the packaging 90, and the imperfect articles to a disposal area 80. Hence, a reintroduction mechanism 50.c-50'.c-50".c-50"' .c brings the articles back to the second area 55 for a second checking step B.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention will now be described purely by way of non-limiting or binding example with the aid of the figures, which illustrate some embodiments relative to the present inventive concept.

With reference to Fig. 4 shows one of the possible working patterns of a system adapted to carry out the method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles described in detail below.

In the preferred embodiment, said articles belong to four different types, in particular, a first type consisting of lower sheets for a single bed provided with elasticized edges at the four corners; a second type consisting of common sheets for a single bed provided with elastic edges at the two corners that coincide with the corners of the bed near the user's feet lying down; a third type consisting of common pillowcases for any pillow and a fourth type consisting of common slightly lined bedspreads.

The object of the present patent is to provide a method able to sort the articles by type, verify the cleanliness and integrity thereof, disinfect them and, finally, package them in one of the following ways:

a package containing a predetermined number of articles of the same type or, a package containing at least one article for each type, for example a package with a lower sheet, a sheet, two pillowcases and a bedspread.

Returning to Fig. 4, it is seen that the method proposed herein starts in a first area 9, in which the articles 100 are sorted on four transport mechanisms 50-50'-50"-50"', each of which is dedicated to a single type of article 100. Once separated, the garments are introduced in a second area 55 from which they are further sorted among articles 100 conforming to the standard provided, which are routed through a first track 50.a-50' .a-50".a- 50"'. a to a third area 60, and articles 100 different from the standard provided, which are first reintroduced in said second area 55 through a reintroduction track 50.c-50' .c-50".c- 50"'. c, and subsequently, if found to be non-conforming to the standard provided, they are destroyed in a disposal area 80.

With reference to Fig. 1, an example of the composition of said first area 9 is shown; likewise, Fig. 2 represents a second area 55 and Fig. 3 relates to a third area 60.

In said first area 9, therefore, the first separation step (A) takes place through a first robot 10, provided with a clamp 11, which picks an article 100 and hangs it on a hook 12. The latter is provided with a loading cell 13 which, by analyzing the weight thereof, is capable of quantifying the articles 100 hanging on said hook 12. At this point a second robot 20, consisting of a common mechanical arm provided with a viewing system 21, is adapted to pick a single article hanging on said hook 12 and hang it by one of its corners in front of an air jet 30. While the article 100 is completely stretched by the effect of the air jet 30, a system of cameras and laser sensors 40-40' is adapted to identify the shape of the article 100 and therefore the type it belongs to. Once recognized, the article 100 is positioned by said second robot 20 on a specific transport mechanism 50-50'-50"-50"' dedicated to that type of article.

From said transport mechanism 50-50'-50"-50"', the article 100, which is hanging there by an end thereof, reaches the second area 55 reserved for the type it belongs to and shown in Fig. 2, to be subjected to a checking step (B).

Said second area 55 consists of a room (therefore provided with partition walls and ceiling) in which there are a plurality of cameras 57-57', an air jet 56 and a plurality of chromatic headlamps 58-58' . While, even in this area, the air jet 56 causes the complete spreading of the article 100, the chromatic headlamps 58-58' illuminate it with different predetermined frequencies, allowing the cameras 57-57' to detect any possible deviation from the expected standards.

More specifically, these deviations may be stains, thickening due, for example, to the encrustation of substances that the washing has not been able to remove, or piercing due to the wear of the material of the article 100.

When the cameras 57-57' detect an imperfection, the article 100 is transferred, via a second track 50.b-50'.b-50".b-50"' .b, to a disposal area 80. If, on the other hand, the article 100 is deemed to conform to the intended standard, it is transferred, via a first track 50.a-50' .a- 50".a-50"' .a, to a third area 60 for the continuation of the processing steps.

One of the most peculiar features of the present invention, which eliminates any possibility of error by the subject system, lies in the presence of a reintroduction track 50.c-50' .c-50".c- 50"'. c, which from said disposal area 80 transfers the articles 100 back to the second area 55, to undergo a new checking step (B). If the article 100 reintroduced is again found to be not conforming due to a stain or a thickening, said article 100 is again transferred upstream of the processing system to undergo a new washing step; if the article 100 is deemed to be not conforming due to a hole, it is permanently sent to said disposal area 80 to be disposed of or destroyed.

With reference to Fig. 3, said third area 60 is shown, in which the sanitization step C of the articles 100 considered compliant with the standard in the previous checking step B takes place.

Said third area 60 is sealed and is kept in a light vacuum with respect to the external environment by an air extractor 61 connected to a pressure sensor 62. When said article 100 reaches said third area 60, by means of said first track 50.a-50' .a-50".a-50"' .a, a plurality of atomizers 63-63' spray a common disinfectant substance thereon.

Once sanitized, the article 100 is transferred to a common packaging machine 90 to undergo a packaging step D, according to one of the two previously illustrated parameters, in a hermetically sealed package.

Finally, it is clear that modifications, additions or variants may be made to the invention described thus far which are obvious to a man skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection that is provided by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of a plurality of different types of articles, adapted to ensure the cleanliness and integrity thereof, having been previously subjected to washing and drying; said method being characterized by comprising the following steps:

(A) separation step; said separation step (A) takes place in a first area (9) where a first robot (10), provided with a clamp (11), is adapted to pick a single article (100), fed to the area (9) through a common transport mechanism, and hang it on a hook (12) provided with a common loading cell (13) adapted to check the effective presence of a single article (100) by checking the weight on the hook (12); said first area (9) being further provided with at least a second robot (20) provided with a common viewing system (21) adapted to allow the picking of a single article (100) from said hook (12) and the hanging thereof in said first area (9) by at least one corner of said article (100), preferably two corners of said article (100) so as to take a position that when impinged by an air jet (30), said article (100) is spread out, allowing a system of cameras and laser sensors (40-40'), located within said first area (9), to identify the type of said article (100): said second robot (20) being adapted, once the type of article (100) has been recognized, to place said article (100) on a specific transport mechanism (50-50'-50"-50"'); each transport mechanism (50-50'-50"-50"') being dedicated to a single type of article and being adapted to hang the articles from their ends;

(B) checking step; said checking step (B), adapted to check the conformity of each article (100) to predetermined standard parameters, takes place in a second area (55) provided with partition walls and ceiling and provided with a plurality of cameras (57-57'), a plurality of chromatic headlamps (58-58') and an air jet (56); in said checking step (B), said article (100) is transferred, by said transport mechanism (50- 50'-50"-50"'), from said first area (9) to said second area (55), in which said air jet (56) impinges the hanging article (100) so as to completely spread it out, simultaneously said chromatic headlamps (58-58') are adapted to illuminate said article (100) with predetermined frequencies that allow said cameras (57-57') to detect the presence of any type of defects, such as stains, thickening or holes; said checking step (B) being adapted to sort said articles on at least two tracks (50.a-50.b) of which a first track (50. a) is adapted to transfer the articles conforming to the expected standards to a third area (60) for the subsequent sanitization step (C), while a second track (50. b) is adapted to transfer imperfect articles towards a disposal area (80) from which said articles are again transferred within said second area (55), through a common reintroduction track (50. c), to be again subjected to a second checking step (B); if said reintroduced articles are again deemed imperfect, i.e. stained and/or thickened, they are transferred upstream of the system to undergo a new cleaning and drying step; if the imperfection found in said reintroduced articles is a hole, they are definitely transferred to said disposal area (80) to be discarded or destroyed;

(C) sanitization step; said sanitation step (C) takes place in a third sealed area (60) provided with at least one air extractor (61) connected to a pressure sensor (62) adapted to keep said third area (60) closed in a slight vacuum with respect to the outer pressure; in said sanitization step (C), said conforming article (100) is transferred, via said first track (50. a) within said third area (60) and is sprayed through a plurality of common nebulizers (63-63') with a common disinfectant agent;

(D) packaging step; in said packaging step (D), a predetermined number of articles belonging to the same type and coming from said third area (60) is packaged by a common packaging machine (90) with a heat-shrink plastic film, thereby creating an airtight packaging.

Method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles, according to the preceding claim 1, characterized in that said types of articles consist of at least a first type consisting of common lower sheets for a single bed, a second type consisting of common sheets for a single bed, a third type consisting of common pillowcases for any pillow and a fourth type consisting of a common bedspread for a single bed.

3. Method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles, according to any one of the preceding claims 1 or 2, characterized in that in said packaging step (D), a plurality of articles are packaged together, each belonging to a different type.

4. Method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lower sheets of said first type of articles are provided with elasticized edges at the four corners.

5. Method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sheets of said second type of articles are provided with two elasticized edges at the corners that will be positioned towards the feet of a user lying on the bed.

6. Method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said bedspread of said fourth type of articles consist of common slightly lined quilts.

7. Method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first area (9), said second area (55) and said third area (60) are airtight.

8. Method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first area (9), said second area (55) and said third area (60) are decontaminated areas, optionally with sterile areas.