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
  • B65B35/00—Supplying, feeding, arranging or orientating articles to be packaged
  • B65B35/10—Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles
  • B65B35/16—Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles by grippers
  • B65B35/18—Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles by grippers by suction-operated grippers
• • 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
  • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
  • B65B25/02—Packaging agricultural or horticultural products
  • B65B25/04—Packaging fruit or vegetables
• • 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
  • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
  • B65B25/02—Packaging agricultural or horticultural products
  • B65B25/04—Packaging fruit or vegetables
  • B65B25/046—Packaging fruit or vegetables in crates or boxes
• • 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
  • B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
  • B65B5/10—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles
  • B65B5/105—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles by grippers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/30—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure
  • B65D85/34—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure for fruit, e.g. apples, oranges or tomatoes
• • 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
  • B65G2201/0211—Fruits and vegetables

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method and a device for placing objects belonging to the group of fruits and vegetables - in particular inverted fruits - on trays, called honeycomb trays, comprising an upper face having a plurality of cells hollow-formed, juxtaposed in the same horizontal plane, oriented upwards and adapted to be able to receive and support each a single object.
• honeycomb trays are already known for packaging fruits and vegetables, more particularly fruits or vegetables which are globally spherical or globular - in particular inverted fruits - such as apples, pears, peaches, quinces, tomatoes, kiwis, melons ...
• These honeycomb trays may in particular consist of thin sheets of cardboard or thermoformed thermoplastic polymer material to spare the receptacles for the fruits or vegetables. They can also be made from blocks or plates of thermoplastic polymeric material, the upper face of which is thermoformed in order to spare the recessed cells in the upper face of the plate. The dimensions of each cell are such that a fruit or vegetable rests in a cell by projecting upwardly and laterally of the cell.
• the cells are generally in the form of globally spherical caps, and have a diameter smaller than the largest diameter of the fruits or vegetables to be placed on the tray.
• each tray receives fruits or vegetables of the same type and of the same caliber, but the invention also applies otherwise.
• honeycomb trays filled with fruits or vegetables can in particular be superimposed in cardboard boxes allowing them to be palletized and / or transported. They can also be placed individually in crates and / or displayed in sales areas.
• the alveoli trays are dimensioned (general format, dimensions of each cell, separation distance between the cells, number of cells per tray, etc.) so as to be able to receive predetermined ranges of sizes of fruit or vegetables, with in particular a maximum caliber for which the objects placed in adjacent cells are liable to come into contact laterally with one another.
• the honeycomb trays are often used with this maximum size, so as to reduce the relative cost of the trays and to optimize the weight of the fruits or vegetables transported by each honeycomb tray and by each box.
• the cells of a honeycomb tray are dimensioned and arranged with respect to each other so that two objects placed in two adjacent cells juxtaposed in the same plane (corresponding to the general plane of the honeycomb tray) are , taking into account the shape and / or the size (determined by a maximum weight or diameter) of the objects, likely to come into contact laterally with one another.
• fruits or vegetables are objects which do not have a precise and regular shape, but on the contrary which have shapes and dimensions which may vary from one object to another.
• This variety of shapes of objects is also the source of the risks of lateral contact between objects. This lateral contact between objects is not a particular problem once the honeycomb tray is filled with objects. On the contrary, such a contact can also have the advantage of wedging the objects with respect to one another.
• the inventor observed that such contact between the objects when they are placed on the honeycomb tray has the effect of modifying the orientation of the objects previously deposited on the tray in the adjacent cells, which destroys the preferential orientation previously given to these objects previously placed on the plate. It should be noted in particular in this respect that when the fruits or vegetables are oriented in an orientation at least partially predetermined, the filling of a honeycomb tray with fruits or vegetables in a robotic filling station is not performed by a single step of depositing all the fruits or vegetables in the different cells of the honeycomb tray. Indeed, the maximum time necessary for the orientation of a fruit or vegetable by an automatic orientation device cannot be controlled reliably and can be relatively long.
• the invention therefore aims to at least partially overcome these drawbacks and to
• the invention relates to a method of depositing objects belonging to the group of fruits and vegetables on a tray comprising an upper face having a plurality of cells:
• each removal step comprising the removal of at least one object in at least one free cell, called the receiving cell, of the tray,
• any depositing step comprising the depositing of at least one object in at least one receiving cell adjacent to at least one cell, called a solid cell, already containing another object previously deposited in this full cell
• the upper face of the plate has an upward curvature of the envelope adapted to avoid any contact of the object to be deposited in this receiving cell with each object present in a solid cell adjacent to this receiving cell.
• envelope curvature refers to the curvature of a theoretical envelope surface of the upper face of the plate.
• this envelope curvature corresponds to the general curvature of the upper face of the plate regardless of the specific shapes and curvatures it presents to form each cell.
• upward curvature means that the curvature is convexly facing upward.
• the envelope curvature of the upper face of the plate can be unidirectional (that is, - say in a single vertical plane) or multidirectional (that is to say in several different vertical planes) or three-dimensional (that is to say in any vertical plane).
• the upward curvature of the casing of the upper face of the plate makes it possible, during removal, to guarantee a separation distance between the objects previously deposited and each object being removed which is sufficient, taking into account, on the one hand, the shapes and dimensions of the objects and, on the other hand, the separation distance existing between the cells of the tray (resulting from the shape, dimensions given to the cells and their distribution during the manufacture of the tray) and the curvature imparted to the portions of the tray separating adjacent cells resulting from said upward curvature of the casing. Consequently, any risk of modification of the orientation of the objects and any risk of impact between the objects is avoided.
• the aforementioned invention applies to the placing on a tray of fruits or vegetables of any kind and of any size, which may have identical or different natures and / or sizes, which may be placed individually one after the other or in groups (for example row by row) on the honeycomb tray, manually or in a fully or partially automated manner, with all kinds, types and sizes of cells and / or honeycomb tray as soon as the upper face of the honeycomb tray has a upward (i.e. convex facing upward) envelope curvature entirely (i.e.
• a tray is used
• the upper face of the tray is flattened in the direction of a
• the upward curvature of the casing given to the upper face of the honeycomb tray can be obtained by shaping the honeycomb tray, or at least its upper face, to the curved state, during its manufacture.
• honeycomb trays resulting from manufacture with said envelope curvature upwards at least on their upper face, and therefore having, at rest (that is to say in the absence of any constraint applied to the plate) this envelope curvature upwards.
• said upward curvature of the casing of the upper face of the plate results from the resting shape of the plate.
• honeycomb trays made up of sheets resulting from manufacture so as to present, at rest, said envelope curvature upwards.
• the upper face of the honeycomb plate is flattened by deformation (elastic or plastic) at least of this face
• said upward curvature of the casing of the top face of the plate is achieved by flexural deformation.
• the upper face of the plate is initially generally flat, all the cells being juxtaposed in the same plane, and this upper face of the plate is deformed in bending so as to present said envelope curvature upwards. during any removal step including the removal of an object in a receiving cell
• This bending deformation of the upper face can be obtained by bending deformation of the plate throughout its thickness, or on the contrary by bending deformation of only part of the thickness of the plate.
• this flexural deformation of the upper face of the plate may be an elastic deformation or a plastic deformation.
• a plate in a method according to the invention, consisting of a plastically deformed sheet - in particular thermoformed - in its entire thickness to present said cells on its upper face. It may be a tray chosen from cardboard honeycomb trays and polymeric thermoplastic honeycomb trays. Such a honeycomb plate is generally elastically deformable in bending so that its upper face can have said envelope curvature upwards.
• - Said flexural deformation comprises the activation of at least one deformation device selected from among pistons, rollers, airbags, ramps and air jets;
• the upper face of the plate has a curvature upwardly at least locally in line with each receiving cell in which an object is deposited during this depositing step;
• the entire upper face of the plate has an upward curvature of the envelope during all the successive deposition steps;
• the upper face of the plate has an upward curvature of the envelope only locally to the right of each receiving cell in which an object is deposited during this depositing step;
• each removal step includes the removal by a robot of a single object in a single receiving cell; alternatively, each depositing step comprises the simultaneous deposit by at least one robot of a plurality of objects in a plurality of corresponding receiving cells; in particular, when using a rectangular tray comprising a plurality of rows of parallel cells, the objects can be placed row by row;
• Each object is oriented when it is placed in a receiving cell according to an orientation in space at least partially predetermined
• said at least partially predetermined orientation in space is similar for all objects; this similar orientation may in particular be the axial orientation of the umbilicus and / or the peduncle, and / or the orientation of a more colored part of the objects upwards, or the like.
• the invention extends to a device for carrying out a method according to the invention.
• this device being adapted to allow the realization on each plate of a plurality of successive steps of depositing at least one object on this plate, each depositing step comprising the deposit of at least one object in at least one object.
• each depositing step comprising the deposit of at least one object in at least one object.
• a device capable of bending the upper face of the plate according to an upward curvature of the casing adapted to avoid any contact between objects during the deposit of an object in a receiving cell while a another object is already present in at least one other cell adjacent to this receiving cell.
• the device capable of bending the upper face of the plate according to said upward curvature of the envelope can be adapted to be able to bend the face
• each receiving cell greater at least locally than the right of each receiving cell, that is to say either only locally at the right of each receiving cell, or over the entire receiving face; it can also be adapted to deform in bending at least the upper face of the plate - in particular the entire honeycomb plate in its entire thickness when the latter is deformable in bending -;
• said device capable of bending the upper face of the plate comprises at least one deformation device chosen from among pistons, rollers, airbags, ramps and air jets;
• a device comprises at least one object handling robot
• each robot is suitable for placing each object in a cell of the tray in an orientation in space at least partially
• the invention also extends to a method implemented by a device according to the invention.
• the invention also relates to a method and a device characterized, in combination or not, by all or part of the characteristics mentioned above or below. Whatever the formal presentation which is given, unless explicitly indicated otherwise, the various characteristics mentioned above or below should not be considered as closely or inextricably linked to each other, the invention being able to relate only to one of them. these structural or functional characteristics, or only part of these structural or functional characteristics, or only part of one of these structural or functional characteristics, or all grouping, combination or juxtaposition of all or part of these structural or functional characteristics.
• Figure 1 is a perspective diagram showing an example of a honeycomb tray partially filled with apples
• Figure 2 is a schematic elevational view of an example of a fully robotic dispensing device according to the state of the art
• Figure 3 is an elevational diagram of a removal step of a removal process and a removal device according to a first embodiment of the invention
• Figure 4 is a diagram in transverse vertical section along line IV of Figure 3,
• Figure 5 is a top diagram of a tray feed conveyor according to the first embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 6 is a detailed sectional diagram illustrating two adjacent cells with a generally flat upper face of a honeycomb plate
• Figure 7 is a diagram similar to Figure 6 illustrating the cells while the upper face has said envelope curvature upwards
• Figure 8 is an elevational diagram of a removal step of a removal process and a removal device according to a second embodiment of the invention
• Figure 9 is a diagram in transverse vertical section along line IX of Figure 8,
• FIG. 10 is a diagram in elevation of a depositing step of a depositing method and of a depositing device according to a third embodiment of the invention, [38] [Fig. 1 1]
• Figure 11 is a diagram in transverse vertical section along line XI of Figure 10.
• the invention relates to a method and a device for depositing objects
• honeycomb trays 1 1 belonging to the group of fruits or vegetables on honeycomb trays 1 1, an example of which is shown in FIG. 1.
• it is a method and a device for filling honeycomb trays 1 1 with fruits or vegetables, or a method and a device for packaging or wrapping fruits or vegetables in blister trays 1 1.
• the invention applies to all fruits or vegetables capable of being packaged in this way on the honeycomb trays, more particularly chosen from fruits or vegetables sensitive to shocks (for example apples, pears, peaches, tomatoes ...) and / or among the fruits or vegetables to be placed on the tray with an orientation in the space at least partially predetermined of each fruit or vegetable, in particular the fruit or vegetables in the nose. It applies more particularly but not exclusively to fruits or vegetables which are globally spherical or globular. In the example shown in the figures, these are apples 12.
• Each tray 1 1 honeycomb has an upper face 13 normally generally flat, that is to say having a normally flat theoretical envelope surface.
• Each tray 1 1 honeycomb is most often rectangular, and has a plurality of cells 14 formed recessed in the upper face 13, juxtaposed in the same horizontal plane, facing upward (that is to say, formed recessed downwards and with the opening facing upwards) and adapted to each receive and support a single object, that is to say a single example of fruit or vegetable, namely a single apple 12 in the example represented.
• each cell 14 The shapes and dimensions of each cell 14 are chosen such that a fruit or vegetable rests in a cell while projecting upwards and laterally with respect to the cell 14 (only part of the fruit or vegetable is housed in the hollow of the cell). Most often, the same tray 1 1 honeycomb is intended to receive fruits or vegetables of the same nature and same caliber. Consequently, most often all the cells 14 of the same plate 11 have similar shapes and dimensions. Furthermore, the cells 14 can be arranged in longitudinal rows and / or in lateral rows and / or staggered or in any way on the upper face 13 of the plate.
• the cells 14 of a honeycomb tray 1 1 are dimensioned and arranged relative to each other so that two fruits or vegetables placed in two adjacent cells 14 juxtaposed in the same plane (corresponding to the general plane of the honeycomb tray 1 1) are, also taking into account the shape and / or size and / or variations in shape of the fruit or vegetables, liable to come into contact laterally with one another.
• each depositing step comprising the deposit of at least one fruit or vegetable in at least one free cell, called receiving cell 14, of the tray 1 1.
• receiving cell 14 the number of fruits or vegetables deposited in the corresponding cells of the tray 11 is less than the total number of cells of the tray 1 1. Consequently, the filling of the same tray 1 1 honeycomb requires several successive removal steps.
• Each depositing step can be carried out entirely manually, by a human operator taking the fruits or vegetables from a stock of fruits or vegetables or from a device for supplying fruits or vegetables and depositing them manually successively in the cells. of the plate 1 1.
• Each depositing step can also be carried out in a partially robotized manner, that is to say using a manipulator controlled by a human operator.
• Each depositing step can also be carried out, preferably, in a fully automated manner, that is to say by at least one robot for filling the trays which takes the fruit, individually or in groups, from a stock of fruit or vegetables or a device for feeding fruit or vegetables to deposit them, individually or in groups, in each cell 14 for receiving the tray 11.
• FIG. 2 represents an example of a completely
• This device comprises a conveyor 15 for supplying the trays 1 1 successively one behind the others facing at least one station 16 for depositing fruits or vegetables in the trays 1 1.
• Each depositing station 16 comprises at least one robot 17 for filling the trays with at least one manipulator arm 18, the end of which lower carries a suction cup 19 for gripping a fruit or vegetable.
• the station 16 also advantageously comprises a device 20 for orienting the fruits or vegetables in an orientation in space at least partially predetermined. An example of such an orientation device 20 is described in detail by WO 2017187076.
• the filling robot 17 is adapted to be able to take a fruit or vegetable 12 from the orientation device 20, after the fruit or vegetable has been in the oven.
• this orientation may include an orientation of the umbilicus of the fruit in a privileged direction (all the fruits placed on the same tray having the same umbilical orientation) and / or an orientation of the most colorful portion of the fruit upwards. , Or other.
• the filling robot 17 is adapted to then move the arm 18
• the device can comprise several successive depositing stations, several conveyors for supplying trays, several orientation devices, several robots for filling the trays, each robot can include several manipulator arms to simultaneously transport several fruits or vegetables, in particular. in rows ...
• robotic depositing devices are described by FR 2552398, FR2663903 or WO 2017150968.
• Each tray 1 1 honeycomb may consist of a cardboard sheet and / or thermoplastic polymeric material of low thickness thermoformed throughout its thickness to present the cells 14, the tray 1 1 having a lower face 21 also thermoformed and having downward bosses corresponding to the cells 14 of the upper face 13.
• Such a plate 1 1 can be deformed in bending, either locally or in its entirety (that is to say in the entire extent of its upper face 13), and this in the elastic domain, that is to say so as to return to its initial generally planar shape after relaxation of the allotted deformation force.
• FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the conveyor 15
• FIG. 3 for supplying the trays of a device according to the invention comprising inflatable pockets 23 for receiving the trays 1 1.
• FIG. 3 four successive phases 24, 25, 26, 27 are shown of a step of depositing d 'an apple in a cell 14 for receiving a tray 1 1.
• Each inflatable pocket 23 is integral with the belt 30 of the conveyor 15
• the manipulator arm 18 of the robot 17 carries an apple and is placed above and vertically a receiving cell 14, free, of the tray 11.
• the cells of the tray 11 adjacent to this receiving cell 14 are full , that is to say have been previously supplied or filled by an apple during a previous depositing step.
• the inflatable bag 23 is inflated with pressurized air supplied from a source 33 of pressurized air ( Figure 5) which can be formed from a simple compressor. air.
• a rail 44 fixed relative to the frame of the conveyor 15 for feeding the trays extends on one side of the belt 30, parallel to the latter.
• slides a cylinder 35 whose actuating rod carries at its end an air injection nozzle 36 connected by a flexible cable 37 to the source 33 of pressurized air (left part of FIG. 5 ).
• the length of the cable 37 is adapted to allow the translational movement of the jack 35 in the rail 44 over a predetermined stroke.
• the cylinder 35 is driven to slide in the rail 44 by a drive device (not shown) so as to follow the movement of the carpet 30.
• the inflatable pocket 23 comprises a lateral inflation valve 38 oriented laterally towards the rail 44 carrying the air injection nozzle 36.
• the air injection nozzle 36 is moved by sliding the cylinder 35 in the rail 44 facing the valve 38 of the pocket, then the cylinder 35 is actuated so as to deploy its rod. '' actuation transversely to the sliding axis of the cylinder, the injection nozzle 36 penetrating into the inflation valve 38, the latter then being opened so as to cause the inflation of the bag 23.
• the inflatable pocket 23 is such that when it is inflated with pressurized air, its upper wall 28 has a curved shape with convexity facing upwards (FIG. 3), and this both in any plane longitudinal vertical parallel to the direction of advance of the conveyor 15 for feeding the trays and in any transverse vertical plane perpendicular to the direction of advance of the conveyor 15 for feeding the trays (FIG. 4).
• the upper wall 28 is therefore in the general shape of a cap with convexity oriented upwards at any point, which may be a spherical cap or a spheroid cap, or a convex paraboloid cap, or even a geometrically unremarkable cap.
• the honeycomb plate 11 which rests on the upper wall 28 is deformed in bending to follow the curvature of this domed upper wall 28.
• This deformation may result from the fact that the peripheral cells of the tray have been filled with apples in the first place, the weight of these apples on the periphery of the tray 11 causing the bending deformation of the latter when the inflatable bag 23 is inflated.
• the four corners and / or the peripheral edges of the plate 11 are fixed to the upper wall 28 of the inflatable pocket 23, for example by insertion into the rims and / or peripheral notches of this upper wall 28. Due to the bending deformation of the plate 11, the upper face 13 of the latter has a general curvature with convexity oriented upwards, that is to say a curvature of envelope up (phases 25 and 26 in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4).
• the upper face 13 of the plate 11 is assumed to be generally flat, that is to say that the theoretical envelope surface at this upper face 13 of the plate is a horizontal plane.
• This line 39 is for example, as shown in Figure 6, the normal to a plane 40 tangent to the deepest point of the cell 14.
• This straight line 39 can also be defined as being the normal to the cross section of the opening of the cell; in Figure 6, the cross section of the opening of the cell is substantially in the plane of the upper face 13 of the tray.
• the different straight lines 39 of orientation of the different cells 14 are parallel to each other, vertical, and the deepest points of the cells 14 are located in the same horizontal plane 40.
• the two adjacent cells 14 are connected to each other by a portion 41 of the plate
• Figure 7 shows the two cells 14 of Figure 6 after bending deformation of the plate 11 to form said envelope curvature upward of its upper face 13.
• the straight lines 39 of orientation of the two adjacent cells 14 are no longer parallel, the planes 40 tangent to the deepest points of the cells are no longer the same, and the portion 41 of connection between the adjacent cells 14 has a Reinforced curvature with upward convexity.
• manipulator 18 of the robot 17 is moved vertically downwards, the apple which it carries is inserted between the apples of the cells adjacent to the receiving cell 14, without any lateral contact between these apples.
• the suction cup 19 of the robot 17 can then be controlled to release and drop the apple into the receiving cell 14, then the inflatable bag 23 can be deflated during the fourth phase 27 shown in FIG. 3.
• the upper wall 28 of the inflatable pocket 23, as well as the plate 11, then resume a generally planar shape. In doing so, a lateral contact can occur between the apples present in the adjacent cells of the tray 11, but this lateral contact does not cause a change in the orientation of the apples or any impact liable to cause their deterioration.
• the deflation of the inflatable bag 23 can be achieved by a deflation needle 42 carried at the end of the actuating rod of a deflation cylinder 45, itself guided and driven in sliding translation in a rail 44 (right part of figure 5).
• the deflation cylinder 45 is moved in the rail 44 so that the needle 42 comes opposite the valve 38 of the pocket 23.
• the cylinder 45 is then actuated so that the needle 42 enters the valve 38, causing the deflation of the bag 23.
• the inflatable bags are not integral with the feed conveyor 15, but are incorporated into the thickness of the trays 1 1, under the upper face 13 of the latter.
• the device capable of generally bending the upper face 13 of the plate 11 is formed, not of inflatable pockets, but of at least one roller 29 applied under the flexible belt 30 of the conveyor 15 for supplying the materials. plates so as to deform in bending and locally upwardly bend this flexible mat 30 and the plate 1 1 carried by the latter so that the upper face 13 of the plate 11 locally has a corresponding upwardly cylindrical envelope curvature to the cylindrical shape of the cylindrical roller 29.
• the curvature of the plate 1 1 can result only from its bending under the effect of the weight of the apples previously placed in the peripheral cells and / or thanks to the fact that the corners of the plate and / or at least part of its peripheral edges are fixed rigidly to the mat 30, for example by means of notches, staples or any other fixing means.
• the plate 11 is not curved about a longitudinal axis. All the cells in the same transverse row of the tray
• the straight lines 39 of orientation of the cells to be filled in the same transverse row of the plate 11 passing above the cylindrical roller 29 remain substantially vertical while the straight lines 39 of orientation of the cells of the adjacent transverse rows (before and after the row of cells to be filled in FIG. 8) are spaced from the vertical under the effect of the deformation of the cell plate 11.
• the robot 17 then comprises a plurality of manipulator arms 18 and suction cups 19 so as to simultaneously grasp and transport a plurality of apples corresponding to the same transverse row of cells of the tray.
• Such a manipulator robot comprising a plurality of manipulator arms 18 is described for example by FR2663903. Several variants can be envisaged with this second embodiment.
• the belt 30 of the feed conveyor 15 is
• the robot 17 is synchronized with the advancement of the belt 30 so that a row of apples is deposited.
• the plate 1 1 in a transverse row of receiving cells 14 at the moment when this receiving row of cells 14 is located exactly above the cylindrical roller 29, vertically to the axis of rotation of the cylindrical roller 29, the plate 1 1 being curved overall but locally upwards in its portion forming at least this transverse row of receiving cells 14 and the two adjacent transverse rows.
• the orientation straight lines of these two adjacent transverse rows are separated by a sufficient distance from the orientation straight lines of the receiving cells to allow the apples to be placed in the transverse row of receiving cells without contact with the apples present in the cells. transverse rows of adjacent cells.
• the filling of the plate 11 occurs while the feed conveyor 15 is held stationary opposite the depositing station 16, and a plurality of cylindrical rollers are placed under the flexible belt 30 of the feed conveyor 15, a cylindrical roller being provided under each transverse row of cells of a tray 1 1 during filling, with the exception of the transverse rows of cells at the longitudinal ends of the tray 1 1.
• the cylindrical rollers are freely rotatable on horizontal axes of rotation which can be individually moved vertically relative to the frame of the infeed conveyor 15 between a low position in which the corresponding cylindrical roller does not interfere with the belt 30, and a high position in which the cylindrical roller is applied under the belt 30 so as to deform it by bending it upwards, which has the effect of bending the plate 1 upwards 1 locally in its portion forming at least the transverse row of receiving cells 14 located above the cylindrical roller and the two rows
• the upward curvature of the casing thus given locally to the upper face 13 of the plate 11 in its portion forming at least this row of receiving cells 14 and the adjacent rows of cells is such that the straight lines 39 of orientation rows of adjacent solid cells are spaced apart by a sufficient distance to allow the apples to be placed in the row of receiving cells 14 without contacting the apples present in the rows of adjacent solid cells.
• the filling robot 17 can therefore place the apples in rows in the transverse rows of tray receiving cells, one after the other, the cylindrical roller located under the row of tray receiving cells being actuated in the high position when the apples are placed in this row.
• the device capable of bending the upper face 13 of the plate 1 1 consists of a matrix of pistons 31 actuated vertically individually by vertical jacks 32, a piston 31 being provided under each cell of the plate 1 1 in position filling of the depositing station 16, with the exception of the peripheral cells of the plate 1 1.
• Each piston 31 can therefore be moved individually by actuating its cylinder 32 between a low position in which it does not interfere with the flexible mat 30 , and a high position in which it is applied locally under the flexible mat 30 so as to deform it and to bend it upwards, as well as the plate 1 1
• the filling robot 17 then comprises a single manipulator arm 18 making it possible to deposit an apple in a cell 14 for receiving the tray 1 1. None prevents to provide, however, that several manipulator arms 18 independent in their movement are used to fill the same. platform 1 1 at the level of depositing station 16.
• the actuation of the pistons 31 is synchronized with that of each manipulator arm 18 such that the plate 11 is curved upwards in its portion forming at least the receiving cell 14 in which the manipulator arm 18 must deposit an apple.
• the upward curvature of the casing thus given locally to the upper face 13 of the plate 11 is again chosen to move away the straight line 39 of orientation of the cell 14 for receiving the straight lines 39 of orientation of the adjacent cells (or to move the orientation straight lines 39 of the adjacent cells away from the orientation straight line 39 of the receiving cell 14) by a sufficient distance to avoid any contact between the apple to be deposited in this receiving cell 14 and the apples already present in the adjacent cells.
• the dispensing device according to the invention is similar to that of the second embodiment
• the cylindrical roller forming the device capable of bending the upper face 13 of the plate 11 is replaced by at least one longitudinal ramp extending under the flexible belt of the conveyor and having an upstream side inclined upwards allowing the flexible belt to be lifted of the conveyor, a horizontal or curved side with a convexity oriented upwards, and a downstream side inclined downwards allowing the belt to be brought back to its initial level upstream of the ramp.
• the conveyor belt therefore slides on the ramps while deforming, the honeycomb trays 1 1 transported by the conveyor also deforming in the same way.
• a single ramp may be provided, the shape of which corresponds to the envelope curvature to be given to the upper face of the plate, or a plurality of longitudinal ramps parallel to one another, which adjoin laterally to cover the entire width of each plate. honeycomb.
• the invention can be the subject of many variations and applications other than those described above.
• the structural and / or functional characteristics of the various embodiments described above may be the subject, in whole or in part, of any different juxtaposition or any different combination.
• pistons can be used to bend groups (transverse rows, longitudinal rows or the like) of receiving cells by synchronizing the movement of several pistons and / or by using pistons each having a shape and dimensions adapted to deform in bending a portion of the plate corresponding to several receiving cells (for example each piston being formed of a transverse bar).
• pistons each having a shape and dimensions adapted to deform in bending a portion of the plate corresponding to several receiving cells (for example each piston being formed of a transverse bar).
• plastically deformable trays or even trays whose upper face has a curvature at rest.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Agronomy & Crop Science (AREA)
• Packaging Of Special Articles (AREA)
• Packging For Living Organisms, Food Or Medicinal Products That Are Sensitive To Environmental Conditiond (AREA)
• Container Filling Or Packaging Operations (AREA)
• Packaging Frangible Articles (AREA)

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• 2019
  • 2019-03-06 FR FR1902290A patent/FR3093506B1/fr active Active
• 2020
  • 2020-03-05 WO PCT/EP2020/055891 patent/WO2020178392A1/fr unknown
  • 2020-03-05 CN CN202080032077.0A patent/CN113840778B/zh active Active
  • 2020-03-05 US US17/436,540 patent/US20220258893A1/en active Pending
  • 2020-03-05 CA CA3128986A patent/CA3128986A1/fr active Pending
  • 2020-03-05 EP EP20707285.1A patent/EP3934987A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2021
  • 2021-09-02 IL IL286076A patent/IL286076A/he unknown

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