EP3873835A1

EP3873835A1 - Gripping unit for a base

Info

Publication number: EP3873835A1
Application number: EP19794130.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Simon UPHUES; Lothar Wess; Oliver HEISIG; Bernd Cox; Christopher Stuhlmann
Original assignee: KHS GmbH
Current assignee: KHS GmbH
Priority date: 2018-10-31
Filing date: 2019-10-22
Publication date: 2021-09-08
Also published as: DE102018127266A1; CN112912322A; US11987456B2; WO2020088980A1; US20220009726A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a gripping unit (2) for a base (8) having a thickness which is predefined by an upper side (8a) and a lower side (8b), wherein at least one product (16) is conveyed on the upper side of the base (8). In order to propose a device and a method using which products conveyed on a base are reliably conveyed in a predefined relation to the base, in particular rotated or pivoted about a vertical axis, a first guide (3a, 3b) is provided which has a guide surface (4) bearing against the base and which extends to below the underside of the base (8).

Description

Gripping unit for a base

The invention relates to a gripping unit for a base on which products are conveyed, a gripper with at least one such gripping unit, a conveying device and a method for conveying products on a base.

When unpacking or packaging products, in some cases they are conveyed on a support, especially if the products are or are to be stacked on top of one another in orderly layers. The base is typically made of paper, cardboard or foil, but can also be designed as a plate. While the products themselves can be held reliably by grippers, contact with the base is often lost during conveying, especially when rotating or swiveling around a hole axis, so that the base disrupts the conveying of subsequent products or the base is damaged and thus also damaged Conveyor system affected overall. However, rotating or swiveling around a vertical axis is a typical movement that occurs regularly, especially before or when palletizing products. The products are no longer transported in the specified relation to the document.

It is therefore the object of the invention to propose a device and a method with which products which are conveyed on a support are reliably conveyed in a predetermined relation to the support, in particular by one

The vertical axis can be rotated or swiveled.

This object is achieved by a gripping unit according to claim 1, a gripper according to claim 12, a conveying device according to claim 17 and a method according to claim 18. The subclaims cover preferred developments of the invention.

A gripping unit for a support on which products are conveyed is matched to a support which is specified by an upper side and a lower side of the support, products being conveyed on the upper side of the support.

The gripping unit has at least one first guide with a guide surface which bears against the base and extends below the underside of the base. The underlay, usually made of paper, cardboard or plastic, is flat and of a strength that is sufficient to not only carry the products standing on the underlay in the idle state, but also to carry it during a conveying process, for example when groups of individuals Products are transported to a device for repackaging in containers. The base usually has a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm. Since the products usually simply stand up on the base without being connected to or fixed on the base, there can be relative movements between the product and the base when accelerating or braking the base. The document can be replaced by such

Relative movements are pulled away under the products, which interferes with the conveying of the products and the base or parts thereof can get caught in the conveying device, which likewise leads to faults. Products in the sense of this invention are e.g. B. Containers such as bottles, bags, glasses or the like, but also objects conveyed in outer packaging such as boxes containing individual products, six-packs or beverage crates. They stand on the base, that is, the products stand orthogonally on the base with their vertical axis, hereinafter also referred to as the hole axis.

The gripping unit has a first guide. The first guide ensures that the underlay is guided or conveyed in exactly the same direction and at the same speed as the products that stand on the underlay. The first guide extends below the bottom of the pad. It is sufficient if the first guide extends 1 to 5 mm below the underside of the underlay. It has been found that the pad is kinked or compressed, but also one

Relative movement of the products to the base can be avoided with this simple measure. The first guide preferably lies in a point or line shape on the edge of the base. The first guide is thus designed as a rod or series of rods for a point-like contact with the edge of the base or as

Contact surface for the edge of the underlay to create a linear guide. A wide contact surface is preferred, which ensures linear guidance of one side of the base. The first guide can rest on any edge of the underlay.

However, the first guide preferably lies against a corner region of the base. According to an advantageous development of the invention, the gripping unit has a first one

Pair of guides, which is equipped with two first guides, each having a first guide on one side of the base resting on an edge, the guide surfaces of the first two guides being arranged at an angle to one another. With such a first pair of guides, in particular the corner of one

Underlay are guided on the two edges of the underlay at an angle

meet. The guides of the first pair of guides are advantageously fastened to a carrier of the gripper arm and are in fixed relation to one another, so that a corner of a support can be guided securely with the products conveyed thereon when the support is rotated or pivoted. The tour is particularly suitable for documents such as B. cardboard have a stiffness that a leadership by a small in relation to the base guide z. B. enable at a corner of a pad without the pad kinking, compressing or unfolding. The first guide is preferably arranged on a carrier which extends from above in the direction of the base. The first guide is attached to the carrier, usually by screws, clamps, pins, bolts or other removable or non-removable

Fasteners. The carrier on the other hand connects the gripping unit z. B. with a gripper. The gripping unit is preferably designed to be pivotable and / or height-adjustable by means of a fleece arrangement. The fleece arrangement can be arranged directly on the first guide, but is preferably arranged on the carrier, so that the gripping unit can be adjusted in height and / or pivoted by means of the fleece arrangement arranged on the carrier by living or lowering the carrier. Alternatively, the carrier itself can be made height-adjustable. The fleece arrangement is advantageous in order to ensure that the support is guided and conveyed even when swiveling or rotating.

According to an advantageous development of the invention, the gripping unit has a finger, which is arranged at a free end of the guide, preferably directly below the contact surface, and which extends orthogonally to the guide, the finger being plate-shaped and having an upper side for receiving the document is formed. The finger should reach under an edge area of the pad so that the pad rests on the top of the finger. It has been found that it is sufficient to reach under only one edge region of the base in order to Ensure that the base remains in a predetermined relation to the products, especially when swiveling or rotating about a vertical axis.

The finger of the gripping unit is preferably designed with a flat top and can be made of any material that can withstand the forces that occur. The finger is usually made of metal. The top of the finger usually has an area of 5 cm ² to 400 cm ² . The top of the finger can have different contours, depending on the requirements of the support to be conveyed and the products arranged on it. The contour can be angular or at least rounded in sections. If the finger is to enclose a corner region of a base, the upper side of the finger can have an angular shape, so that edge regions of the two edges that form the corner region of the base can be reliably detected.

The finger is preferably formed over the entire surface, but can also have openings, for. B. to save material. If openings are provided, these are preferably small, so that an edge or a corner of the base does not get caught in the openings.

In order to ensure trouble-free engagement with the edge or corner of a base, the edge of the finger facing the base is preferably broken or rounded.

The gripping unit according to the invention works particularly well when linear conveying is used. A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention

The gripping unit provides that a securing device is arranged which secures the support on the finger of the gripping unit during conveying. The securing also ensures reliable guidance of the base when the base with the products arranged thereon is pivoted or rotated. This securing is not dependent on the positioning of the products on the surface. It can be guaranteed with a finger with a small area. Securing enables documents to be kept that are less rigid. Such documents, e.g. B. paper or film in contrast to cardboard, can be secured with a swivel or

Rotation movements are better managed without causing wrinkles or compression of the pad. The fuse can easily require a clamp, e.g. B. designed as a spring that presses the pad on the top of the finger. The fuse can also be designed as a pressure stamp or lever.

According to a simple embodiment of the gripping unit according to the invention, the surface of the upper side of the finger is dimensioned so large that a product is gripped by the finger. The finger is then raised slightly using the fleece arrangement, just enough that the weight of the product presses the pad onto the top of the finger and fixes it there. The finger is only raised a few millimeters high, usually not more than the thickness of the surface. According to the inventors' experience, the pad is not damaged by this process. At the end of conveying the pad, the finger is lowered again and is ready for a new one

Funding process.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the gripping unit is fastened to the guide with a joint or with a hinge, so that the first guide can be pivoted or folded. The position of the joint or hinge can be controlled in a closed and an open position. In this way, the first guide can grip and guide the base at the start of conveying by closing the joint or hinge, while at the end of the conveying process the gripping unit releases the base with the first guide by opening the hinge.

An independent part of the invention is a gripper for conveying

Products that are conveyed on a support with at least one gripping unit for conveying the support, as described above. The gripper is preferably arranged above the product and the base. A vertical axis of the gripper preferably coincides with the vertical axis of the product or runs parallel to it. The gripper can convey a product, but it can also convey two or more products, each of which is preferably on its own base. A gripper typically conveys two or four six-packs with bottles or it conveys cans that are to be stacked on a pallet.

According to a further development, the gripper has a first and a second gripping unit, each with a first pair of guides, which diagonally opposite one another are arranged. If the underlay is guided at two diagonally opposite corners, it can be rotated or swiveled around a vertical axis without any problems.

The gripper has at least one, preferably up to four gripping units, each with a second guide for application to the products. The second guides do not extend below the base. The second tours, mostly on the

The side walls of the products rest against the safe guiding of the products. The second guides are preferably arranged opposite one another.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the second guide each has an enlarged contact surface compared to the guide, which is in particular wider than the guide. The contact surface of a second guide extends orthogonally to the base; the height and width of the contact surface of a second guide are adapted to the dimension of the product to be conveyed. The second guide preferably has a large-area contact surface.

The gripper is movable; he follows the products to be promoted, which are supported by the

Contact surfaces of the first and the second guide or guides are securely recorded and are thereby also guided. The gripping units with a first guide are preferably arranged at the corners of a base, in particular at diametrically opposite corners of a base. However, they can also be arranged laterally on the edges of a base. The gripping units are connected to the gripper by the carrier. The control of the gripper, the z. B. specifies the speed of the gripper, which also controls the opening and closing of the contact surfaces, also controls the gripping units with a first or a second guide, in particular the lifting and lowering of a jack, typically implemented as a lever arrangement, or the closing and opening of a joint or hinge.

A conveyor device is regarded as a further independent component of the invention, which has a gripper as described above and a means of transport.

The means of transport can be used as a circumferential band made of elastic, flexible material, as a band made up of individual, usually overlapping band sections Conveyor chain, as a roller or roller conveyor also with driven rollers or rollers, or be formed in any other way. The means of transport can be composed of individual sections, for. B. as a result of conveyor belts or chains. The means of transport can contain linear sections, but also sections with a radius, on which the support and products are conveyed in an arc. The means of transport can also contain sections in which the support and products are pivoted or rotated.

The gripper follows those sections in which the support and products are pivoted or rotated, or the gripper is arranged in such sections in a stationary or movable manner. The gripper preferably rotates the base and products within such sections relative to the means of transport.

The gripper is usually arranged above the means of transport, the second guides gripping the product laterally, each with the contact surface, and the at least one gripping unit with the first guide extending along the product to below the base.

Since the gripping unit extends under the base according to the invention, this indicates

Transport means according to a preferred embodiment cutouts which are penetrated by the gripping unit during the conveying of a base with products arranged thereon, or into which the gripping unit is immersed.

The recess has dimensions that pivot or rotate the

Allow underlay with the product. In this embodiment, the means of transport and the gripper must be synchronized with the gripping unit arranged thereon. The

The gripping unit must be located above a recess so that it can securely grip the base. The gripper and transport means then move at the same speed to convey the products arranged on the support. The synchronous assignment or arrangement of the gripper and means of transport can be ensured, for example, by a control unit which receives signals from sensors which signal the correct arrangement of the gripper in relation to the means of transport. Typical sensors can be optical sensors.

The invention further comprises a method for conveying products on a base, at least with the steps: Positioning a gripper with at least one gripping unit, which has a first guide, above the products located on the support, products and support standing on a means of transport,

Swiveling the gripping unit to put it on the products,

- Convey, in particular turning or swiveling those held by the gripper

Products and the base on the

Means of transport around a hole axis.

The method for conveying products on a support comprises the step that the products are supported on the support by a gripper with at least one

Gripping unit can be detected. The at least one first contact surface of the gripper bears against at least one base. As a rule, the first contact surface lies against the base in the area of a corner. The gripper can have at least one gripper arm with a second contact surface. A second is preferably located

Contact surface on a side surface or a side wall of the product or, if the underlay is part of an outer packaging, the product at least

wrapped in sections, on the outer packaging. Gripping arms with second contact surfaces are preferably located on all side walls of the product or of it

Outer packaging on and at least two gripping arms with a first contact surface on diametrically opposite corners of the base. In this way, the products are transported and guided safely.

If the gripping unit has a finger with the first guide, the base is now arranged on or above the top of the finger of the gripping unit. The

Gripping unit is optionally raised by a lever, in particular by a lever arrangement, at least until the upper side of the finger rests on the base. The first guide of the gripping unit rests on the base, in particular on an edge of the base. The method according to the invention further comprises conveying, in particular rotating or pivoting, the product held by the gripper about a vertical axis of the products.

If the gripping unit has a first guide and additionally a finger and a securing means, the conveying, in particular the turning or pivoting, takes place with the base which is gripped between the finger and the securing means. After an advantageous

Further development of the method according to the invention becomes the finger of the gripping unit raised far enough until a product over the finger on the pad secures the pad on the finger by its weight.

According to an alternative embodiment, the pad is secured to the gripping unit by means of a fuse, in particular a fuse that secures the pad on the finger. Suitable fuses are explained above.

Details of embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to figures. Show it:

1 perspective view of a gripper with gripping units according to the invention. FIG. 2 perspective view of a gripper with product and conveyor device. FIG. 3 perspective view of a conveyor device with open grippers, product and transport means

Fig. 4 perspective view of a conveyor with closed gripper, product and means of transport

Fig. 5 view of a conveyor belt with recesses

1 shows a gripper 1 with two gripping units 2 according to the invention. The gripper preferably consists of metal. Each gripping unit 2 has two first guides 3a, 3b. Each first guide 3a, 3b has a first contact surface, which as

Guide surface serves. The first contact surface 4 faces the product to be transported, it is located at the free end of the first guide 3a, 3b. The first guide 3a, 3b is arranged on a carrier 5. The carrier 5 is designed as an angle, a first guide 3a or 3b being fastened to each angle section 6a, 6b, here with a screw connection. The beam is braced by a block 7. The first guides 3a and 3b are thus also at an angle to one another, here at a right angle. As can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the first guides 3a, 3b can thereby rest against a corner of a base 8 at an edge of the corner.

1 further shows a fever, here configured as a fleece arrangement 9 with a first, upper pair of fleece 9 a, which is between the gripper 1 and the carrier 5

is arranged and with a second, lower pair of Flebel 9b, which is also arranged between the gripper 1 and the carrier 5. The upper pair of fins is 9a

angled, the lower pair of fuzz 9b is straight. By means of the Lever arrangement 9, the carrier 5 can be raised and lowered. The carrier 5 performs a pivoting movement.

1 further shows that the gripping units 2 are arranged diametrically opposite one another. The fact that the gripping units 2 grip diametrically opposite corners of a base of a product in this way ensures that the base does not move relative to the product or products standing thereon.

The gripper 1 also has four second gripping units 10, which are designed to lie against a side surface of a product or an outer packaging.

A second gripping unit 10 has a guide 11 with a second contact surface 12. The second contact surface 12 is wider than the carrier in relation to the carrier 13 of the second gripping unit 10. In this way, the gripping unit 10 lies securely on the product or on the outer packaging.

The second gripping unit 10 is also movably mounted on the gripper 1 by means of two pairs of levers 14a, 14b. The second gripping unit 10 can be moved in a swiveling movement up and down.

The guides 3a, 3b, 11 are each screwed to the carrier 5, 13. They can also be attached to the carrier 5, 13 in any other detachable or non-detachable manner, detachable connections (eg screws, plugging, clamping) being preferred in order to be able to change the guides if necessary.

The gripper 1 has a receptacle 15 with which it is movably arranged. A vertical axis H of the products indicated in FIG. 2 generally runs parallel to

Recording 15. The gripper is conveyed in the operating state at the same speed and in the same transport direction as that shown in Fig. 2 and 3

Conveyor belt. In addition, the gripper is rotatably and pivotably mounted on the receptacle 15 with respect to the conveyor belt. In this way, the gripper 1 can rotate or pivot the support 8 with the products arranged thereon at any time relative to the transport direction T. The gripper 1 is connected to a control unit, not shown here, which controls at least the movement of the first and second gripping units 2, 10 and the rotation of the gripper. Fig. 2 shows a gripper 1 in the open state. The gripper 1 is located above the product 16, here a product that consists of two groups of six bottles each, which are encased in an outer packaging. For example, the bottom of the outer packaging forms the base 8. The outer packaging likewise has an upper side 8a and one

Bottom 8b. The pad is therefore made up of several parts, but the product, the two six-packs, is moved as a unit. Hence the designation as a product. The outer packaging also forms the side walls 17 of the product. The second

Gripping units 10, which are each arranged on one side of the product 16, are raised so high that the product 16 can move freely relative to the gripper 1. Alternatively, the gripper 1 can be raised and moved freely relative to the product 16. The first gripping units 3 are also raised, but there are

Contact surfaces 4 still in fleas on the side walls of product 16. However, this does not prevent the relative mobility of product 16 and gripper 1.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of two grippers 1, each of which abuts a product 16, which are on a conveyor, here a conveyor belt 18 and are conveyed in the transport direction T. The products 16 are said to be in alternating

Alignment to form a layer on a pallet, which layer is then placed on a pallet. For this purpose, at least some of the products conveyed in a row must be swiveled or rotated. The gripper 1 rotates or swivels the products 16 standing on the conveyor belt 18. The gripper 1 moves at the same speed and in the same transport direction T as the products 16. The gripping units 10 of the gripper 1 lie on the side walls 17 of the product 16, here, based on the

Transport direction T on the front and rear as well as on the side walls, which run parallel to the transport direction. The contact surfaces 4 of the gripping units 10 are wider than the carrier 13, so that the product 16 is guided securely.

The gripping units 2 are arranged diametrically opposite one another. It can be clearly seen that the guides 3a, 3b with the contact surfaces 4, which each rest on a corner of the base 8, extend below the base 8, that is to say below the product 16. Two diametrically opposite corners of the base 8 are thus safely guided. 4 shows a product 16 seen in the direction of travel, which is shown by the gripper 1. It can also be clearly seen here that the guides 3a, 3b of the Gripping units 2 reach under the base 8 of the product 16. The guides 3a, 3b thus extend into the conveyor belt 18, more precisely through an opening 19 in the conveyor belt 18. The gripping unit according to the invention therefore presupposes that the product is placed exactly on the conveyor belt, in particular exactly in relation to the openings 19 of the conveyor belt.

2, 3 and 4 and 5 it can clearly be seen that the conveyor belt 18 has openings 19. The openings 19 are dimensioned such that the entire sequence of movements of a rotation or a swiveling of the gripper 1 with the first gripping units 2, the guides 3a, 3b of which extend below the base 8 of the product 16,

can be done without transporting the product on the

Interrupt conveyor belt 18. The openings are therefore at least as long or as wide as the product 16 with the guides 3a, 3b resting thereon. The opening 19, which is particularly clearly marked in FIG. 5, enables the product 16 to be rotated or pivoted by up to 180 ° in relation to the direction of transport.

Reference symbol list

1 gripper

2 gripping unit

3a, 3b first tours

4 first contact surface

5 carriers

6a, 6b angular section of the beam 7 block

8 pad

8a top

8b bottom

9 lever arrangement

9a, 9b pairs of levers

10 second gripping unit

1 1 second tour

12 second contact surface

13 carriers

14a, 14b pairs of levers

15 recording

16 product

17 side wall

18 conveyor belt

19 opening

T direction of transport

Claims

1 . Gripping unit (2) for a base (8) with a thickness which is predetermined by an upper side (8a) and a lower side (8b), the upper side (8a) being the

Support (8) at least one product (16) is conveyed, comprising a first guide (3a, 3b) with a guide surface (4) resting on the support (8), which extends to below the underside (8b) of the support (8) extends.

2. Gripping unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide surface (4) is designed as a rod or as a surface.

3. Gripping unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a first pair of guides is provided which has two first guides (3a, 3b), with a first guide (3a, 3b) in each case abutting an edge of a base (8) The guide surfaces (4) of the first two guides (3a, 3b) are arranged at an angle to one another.

4. gripping unit according to claim 3, characterized in that two each other

diagonally opposite guide pairs are provided.

5. Gripping unit according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the first guide (3a, 3b) has a finger, the finger being constructed in the form of a plate and having an upper side on which the lower side (8b) of the base (8) rests.

6. Gripping unit according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the finger is angular, angular or with an at least partially rounded contour.

7. gripping unit according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the finger has a broken or flattened edge at least in sections.

8. Gripping unit according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a fuse is provided for the base (8) which comes into engagement with the base (8) when the base (8) is conveyed.

9. gripping unit according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the gripping unit (2) has a carrier (5).

10. Gripping unit according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the gripping unit (2) by means of a jack (9)

is adjustable in height.

11. Gripping unit according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the gripping unit (2) is arranged on the carrier (5) with a joint or hinge.

12. Gripper for conveying products (16) with a base (8), comprising gripping units (10) for gripping the products (16) and at least one

Gripping unit (2) according to one of claims 1 to 11 for conveying the base (8).

13. Gripper according to claim 12, characterized in that at least one

second guide (11) is provided, which abuts a side surface (17) of a product (16) conveyed on the support (8).

14. Gripper according to at least one of the preceding claims 12 or 13,

characterized in that a second guide (11) bears on each side of the product (16) conveyed on the support (8).

15. Gripper according to at least one of the preceding claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the second guides (11) have a larger than the second carrier (13) bearing surface (12), which is in particular wider than the second guide (11).

16. Gripper according to claim 15, characterized in that the gripper (1)

is arranged above the base (8).

17. Conveying device comprising a transport means (18) for conveying a base (8) with products (16) conveyed thereon, the transport means (18) having at least one recess (19) for a gripping unit (2).

18. A method for conveying products (16) on a base (8) at least with the steps:

Positioning a gripper (1) with at least one gripping unit (2, 10), which has a guide (3a, 3b, 11), above the products (16) located on the base (8), products (16) and base ( 8) on one

Stand up means of transport (18),

Swiveling the gripping unit (2, 10) to place it on the products (16),

Conveying, in particular rotating or swiveling, the products (16) held by the gripper (1) and the base (8) likewise gripped by the gripper (1) on the transport means (18) about a hole axis.

19. A method for conveying products (16) according to claim 18, characterized

characterized in that a gripping unit (2) has a finger, the gripping unit (2) being raised at least until it rests on the base (8) until the base (8) rests on the upper side of the finger.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that the gripping unit (2) is raised until the base (8) is secured by the weight of at least one product (16) on the base (8).

21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that the base (8) on the finger of the gripping unit (2) is secured.