EP4344557A1 - A method and apparatus for loading rods into a loading station - Google Patents
A method and apparatus for loading rods into a loading station Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP4344557A1 EP4344557A1 EP23199210.8A EP23199210A EP4344557A1 EP 4344557 A1 EP4344557 A1 EP 4344557A1 EP 23199210 A EP23199210 A EP 23199210A EP 4344557 A1 EP4344557 A1 EP 4344557A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- rods
- assembly
- frame
- container
- closing element
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 15
- 230000000391 smoking effect Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000000903 blocking effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920002301 cellulose acetate Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 235000019504 cigarettes Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004806 packaging method and process Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
- A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
- A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
- A24C5/35—Adaptations of conveying apparatus for transporting cigarettes from making machine to packaging machine
- A24C5/352—Adaptations of conveying apparatus for transporting cigarettes from making machine to packaging machine using containers, i.e. boats
- A24C5/356—Emptying the boats into the hopper of the packaging machine
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
- A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
- A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
- A24C5/35—Adaptations of conveying apparatus for transporting cigarettes from making machine to packaging machine
- A24C5/352—Adaptations of conveying apparatus for transporting cigarettes from making machine to packaging machine using containers, i.e. boats
- A24C5/354—Filling the boats at the making machine
Definitions
- the present invention generally refers to the handling of rods, and specifically concerns a method for loading rods into a loading station, for example, into a hopper.
- the invention concerns an apparatus for loading rods into a loading station.
- filter rods made of cylindrical rods of filter material, usually cellulose acetate, having a predetermined length are used. Filter rods are intended to be cut in a transverse direction to form filters that are applied to cigarettes.
- the filter rods are produced in a machine having an outlet station in which the finished filter rods are arranged parallel to each other within cardboard boxes having an open front and upper side.
- Full boxes are generally unloaded manually and are closed by applying a cardboard strip along the open upper edge and a cardboard cover on the open front face.
- the closed boxes are then placed on pallets and transported to a warehouse to undergo a certain curing period, the duration of which depends on the type of filter, and which can vary from a few minutes to a few hours.
- the boxes are taken from the warehouse and transported close to a loading area in which a feeder device is arranged with a hopper configured for receiving the filter rods.
- the boxes are opened manually on two sides (upper side and front face) and are placed on a tipper, which overturns the boxes and pours the filter rods into the hopper of the feeding device.
- the filter rods are poured into the hopper of the feeding device by overturning the boxes and making the filter rods fall from above into the upper mouth of the hopper. In this step the filter rods may become askew and may cause jamming of the feeder device and machine downtimes.
- the present invention aims to provide a method for loading rods into a loading station which solves the problems of the prior art.
- this object is achieved by a method having the characteristics forming the subject of claim 1.
- the invention concerns an apparatus for loading rods into a loading station having the characteristics of claim 9.
- numeral 10 indicates a container configured to receive therein an assembly 12 formed by a plurality of rods 14.
- Figure 1 shows the container 10 in a partially open configuration, in which it is progressively filled with rods 14 coming from the section of a machine that produces them.
- the container 10 comprises a U-shaped frame 16 including a bottom wall 18 and two side walls 20 parallel to each other and perpendicular to the bottom wall 18.
- the bottom wall 18 and the two side walls 20 are permanently fixed to each other.
- the container 10 comprises a first and a second front cover 22, 24, connected in a releasable manner to the frame 16 and located on opposite sides of the frame 16 so as to close the two opposite front faces of the frame 16.
- the container 10 also comprises an upper closing element 26 connected in a releasable manner to the upper ends of the side walls 20 of the frame 16.
- the frame 16, the first and second front covers 22, 24 and the upper closing element 26 are preferably made of plastic material.
- the container 10 has an open front face and an open upper side.
- the second front cover 24 and the upper closing element 26 are fixed to the frame 16 in the manner described below.
- the rods 14 have a length L greater than the width W of the side walls 20 of the frame 16 so that the ends of the rods 14 protrude from opposite parts of the side walls 20.
- the first and second front covers 22, 24 may have respective edges 28 protruding from a respective flat wall.
- the edges 28 may be connected in a releasable manner to the frame 16 by magnets 30 or by snap engagement teeth.
- the ends of the rods 14 that protrude beyond the edges of the side walls 20 are received in the space between the flat walls and the edges 28 of the first and second front covers 22, 24.
- the upper closing element 26 may be connected in a releasable manner to the upper ends of the side walls 20 by snap engagement means.
- the snap engagement means may comprise a toothed portion 34 formed on the inner surface of the upper end of each side wall 20 which cooperates with at least one tooth 36 located at each side end of the upper closing element 26.
- the teeth 36 located at the opposite ends of the upper closing element 26 snap into engagement with the respective toothed portions 34 of the side walls 20 following a movement from top to bottom of the upper closing element 26.
- the upper closing element 26 may be connected in a releasable manner to the frame 16 by magnets.
- the inner surface of the upper closing element 26 may have an elastic layer 38 which rests on the upper layer of the rods 14 and establishes a compression of the assembly 12, which avoids misalignments of the rods 14.
- the upper closing member 26 may comprise springs that compress in a vertical direction to apply an elastic compressive force to the assembly 12 of rods 14.
- the containers 10 are transported to a warehouse.
- the transport of the containers 10 to the warehouse may be carried out by automatic guided vehicles (AGV) or by belt conveyors.
- AGV automatic guided vehicles
- numeral 40 indicates an apparatus for loading the rods 14 into a hopper of a feeding device.
- the apparatus 40 comprises an emptying station 42 in which an assembly 12 of rods 14 is extracted from the respective container 10 in the way that will be described below.
- the filled containers 10 may be transported to the apparatus 40 by a conveyor 44.
- the apparatus 40 includes a robot 46 which picks up the full containers 10 from the conveyor 44 and deposits them in a waiting station 48.
- the robot 46 may also pick up empty containers 10 from the waiting station 48 and deposit them on a conveyor that takes them to the rod production machine 14.
- the conveyor 44 could be a pallet transported manually or by an automatic guided vehicle (AGV).
- AGV automatic guided vehicle
- the apparatus 40 includes a blocking device 50 for locking a container 10 in the emptying station 42.
- the blocking device 50 may include two clamps 52 operated by respective actuators 54, which compress the bottom wall 18 of a container 10 from opposite sides.
- the apparatus 40 includes a first manipulator device 56 configured to remove the front covers 22, 24 from the frame 16 of a full container 10 and to apply the front covers 22, 24 to the frame 16 of an empty container 10.
- the first manipulator device 56 includes two actuators 58 which move respective gripping members 60 in the horizontal directions indicated by the arrows 62 in Figure 7 .
- the gripping members 60 may grip respective front covers 22, 24 by suction or by mechanical grippers. After having gripped the front covers 22, 24 by the respective gripping members 60, the actuators 58 move the gripping members 60 away from the container 10 and - in this way - remove the front covers 22, 24 from the frame 16.
- the first manipulator device 56 may also apply the front covers 22, 24 to the frame 16 after the removal of the assembly 12 of rods 14 from the frame 16, as will be described later.
- the apparatus 40 comprises a second manipulator device 64 configured to remove the upper closing element 26 from the frame 16 of a full container 10, and to apply the upper closing element 26 to the frame 16 of an empty container.
- the second manipulator device 64 comprises an actuator 66 which moves a gripping member 68 in the vertical direction indicated by the arrow 70 in Figures 7 and 8 .
- the gripping member 68 may grip the upper closing element 26 by suction or by mechanical grippers. After having gripped the upper closing element 26 by the gripping member 68, the actuator 66 moves the gripping member 68 away from the container 10 and - in this way - removes the upper closing element 26 from the frame 16.
- the second manipulator device 64 may also apply the upper closing element 26 to the frame 16 after the removal of the assembly 12 of rods 14 from the frame 16, as will be described below.
- the apparatus 40 comprises an extractor device 72 configured to grip the assembly 12 of rods 14 from the frame 16 of a filled container 10.
- the extractor device 72 comprises a gripping member 74 including two vertical plates 76 parallel to each other, movable in a horizontal direction between an open position and a closed position.
- the gripping member 74 of the extractor device 72 is movable in the vertical direction and in a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction.
- the gripping member 74 may, for example, be carried by a Cartesian robot.
- the extractor device 72 may also grip a container 10 and may be used to transfer full containers 10 from the waiting station 48 to the emptying station 42, and empty containers 10 from the emptying station 42 to the waiting station 48.
- the apparatus 40 previously described is configured to implement a method for loading an assembly 12 of rods 14, in particular rods 14 for producing smoking articles, comprising a step of gripping the assembly 12 by gripping means 76, and a release step of said assembly 12 in a loading station 78, wherein in said assembly 12 said rods 14 have respective longitudinal axes parallel to each other and parallel to a horizontal plane, wherein said gripping means 76 clamp said assembly 12 between two gripping planes parallel to each other, and carry said assembly 12 into the loading station 78 while maintaining the longitudinal axes of said rods 14 parallel to said horizontal plane.
- the operation of the apparatus 40 is as follows.
- the full containers 10 are taken from the warehouse in which they have spent the prescribed curing period and are transported towards the apparatus 40 by the conveyor 44.
- the robot 46 picks up the container 10 on the conveyor 44 and deposits it in the waiting station 48.
- the extractor device 72 grabs the container 10 located in the waiting station 48 by means of the gripping member 74 and transfers it to the emptying station 42.
- the blocking device is activated which, by means of the clamps 52, locks the bottom wall 18 of the frame 16 in the emptying station 42.
- the first manipulator device 56 is activated which, through the actuators 58, brings the gripping members 60 into contact with the respective front covers 22, 24.
- the gripping members 60 grip the front covers 22, 24 by suction or mechanical grippers and are then moved away from the frame 16 so as to detach the front covers 22, 24 from the frame 16.
- the gripping member 74 of the extractor device 72 is positioned in the emptying station 42 so that the two vertical plates 76 in the open position are located on opposite sides of the assembly 12 of rods 12. Then, the two vertical plates 76 are brought into the closed position so that the two vertical plates 76 abut in the horizontal direction against opposite ends of the assembly 12 of rods 12 as illustrated in Figure 8 .
- the two vertical plates 76 in the closed position hold the assembly 12 of rods 14.
- the two vertical plates 76 may be provided with a protruding lower edge to form support surfaces for the ends of the rods 14 forming the lower layer of the assembly 12. Protruding edges may also be provided along the vertical sides of the vertical plates 76 to retain the vertical edges of the assembly 12 of rods 14.
- the second manipulator device 64 brings the gripping member 68 into engagement with the upper closing element 26 and removes the upper closing element 26 in the vertical direction from the frame 16.
- the gripping member 74 of the extractor device 72 may be configured so as to leave a free space between the vertical plates 76, which allows the passage in the vertical direction of the upper closing element 26.
- the gripping member 74 of the extractor device 72 is moved in a vertical direction so as to extract the assembly 12 of rods 14 from the frame 16 in a vertical direction, which remains retained in the emptying station 42 by the blocking device 50.
- the extractor device 72 moves the gripping member 74 with the assembly 12 of rods 14 held between the two vertical plates 76 and inserts the two vertical plates 76 and the assembly 12 of rods 14 inside a loading station 78 formed, for example, by a hopper.
- the gripping member 74 of the extractor device 72 can rotate by 90° between the extraction position of the assembly 12 and the insertion position of the assembly 12 into the hopper 78.
- the assembly 12 of rods 14 is inserted into the hopper 78 until a lower side of the assembly 12 of rods 14 is brought into close proximity to the rods 14 already contained inside the hopper 78. In this way, the free fall distance of the rods is as short as possible. The free fall distance of the rods 14 into the hopper 78 can be reduced to substantially zero.
- a particularly relevant aspect of the solution according to the present invention is that the assembly 12 of rods 14 is always retained throughout the entire process.
- the assembly 12 continues to be held by the upper closing element 26 which holds the assembly 12 in the frame 16 by compression.
- the two vertical plates 76 of the extractor device 72 grip the assembly 12 while this is still held in the frame 16 by the upper closing element 26.
- the upper closing element 26 is only removed after the assembly 12 has already been gripped by the two vertical plates 76 of the extractor device 72. Therefore, the assembly 12 is retained in a positive way until it is inserted into the hopper 78.
- the first manipulator device 56 can apply the front covers 22, 24 to the frame 16, and the second manipulator device 64 can apply the upper closing element 26 to the frame 16 as illustrated in Figure 11 , so that an empty container 10 is assembled in the emptying station 42.
- the extractor device 72 may grip the empty container 10 located in the emptying station 42 by means of the gripping member 74, and can transfer the empty container 10 to the waiting station 48.
- the robot 46 may pick up the empty container 10 in the waiting station 48 and transfer it to an outlet conveyor and then load a full container 10 into the waiting station 48 for a new cycle.
- the robot 46 could pick up the empty container 10 directly in the emptying station 42 and transfer it to the outlet conveyor.
- the robot 46 could also transfer the full container 10 from the conveyor 44 to the emptying station 42 avoiding the passage through the waiting station 48.
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- Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)
Abstract
A method for loading rods (14) into a hopper (78), wherein an assembly (12) of rods (14) is formed in a container (10) having a U-shaped frame (16), and wherein the assembly (12) of rods (14) is extracted from the frame (16) and inserted into a hopper (78) of a feeding device.
Description
- The present invention generally refers to the handling of rods, and specifically concerns a method for loading rods into a loading station, for example, into a hopper.
- According to another aspect, the invention concerns an apparatus for loading rods into a loading station.
- In some fields there is a need to collect rods into boxes at the outlet of a machine that produces such rods and, subsequently, to empty the boxes into a hopper of a feeding device that feeds the rods to a packaging machine.
- For example, in the production of smoking articles, filter rods made of cylindrical rods of filter material, usually cellulose acetate, having a predetermined length are used. Filter rods are intended to be cut in a transverse direction to form filters that are applied to cigarettes.
- The filter rods are produced in a machine having an outlet station in which the finished filter rods are arranged parallel to each other within cardboard boxes having an open front and upper side.
- Full boxes are generally unloaded manually and are closed by applying a cardboard strip along the open upper edge and a cardboard cover on the open front face.
- The closed boxes are then placed on pallets and transported to a warehouse to undergo a certain curing period, the duration of which depends on the type of filter, and which can vary from a few minutes to a few hours.
- Once the curing period has elapsed, the boxes are taken from the warehouse and transported close to a loading area in which a feeder device is arranged with a hopper configured for receiving the filter rods.
- Here the boxes are opened manually on two sides (upper side and front face) and are placed on a tipper, which overturns the boxes and pours the filter rods into the hopper of the feeding device.
-
- In solutions according to the prior art, the filter rods are poured into the hopper of the feeding device by overturning the boxes and making the filter rods fall from above into the upper mouth of the hopper. In this step the filter rods may become askew and may cause jamming of the feeder device and machine downtimes.
- Furthermore, solutions according to the prior art are often difficult to automate and involve a high use of manpower.
- The present invention aims to provide a method for loading rods into a loading station which solves the problems of the prior art.
- According to the present invention, this object is achieved by a method having the characteristics forming the subject of claim 1.
- According to another aspect, the invention concerns an apparatus for loading rods into a loading station having the characteristics of claim 9.
- Preferred embodiments of the invention form the subject of the dependent claims.
- The claims form an integral part of the disclosure provided here in relation to the invention.
- The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, given purely by way of non-limiting example, wherein:
-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a partially open container filled with an assembly of rods, -
Figure 2 is a side view according to arrow II ofFigure 1 illustrating the closing step of the open sides of the container ofFigure 1 , -
Figure 3 is a side view illustrating the container in a closed configuration, -
Figure 4 is a detail on an enlarged scale of the part indicated by arrow IV inFigure 3 , -
Figure 5 is a partial front view of the container ofFigure 3 , -
Figure 6 is a detail on an enlarged scale of the part indicated by arrow VI inFigure 5 , -
Figures 7 ,8 and9 are schematic views illustrating the sequence of extracting the assembly of rods from the container, and -
Figures 10 and11 are schematic views illustrating the insertion of the assembly of rods into a hopper. - It will be appreciated that the attached drawings are schematic and that - in certain figures - some components may not be shown to assist in understanding the Figures.
- It will be appreciated that the various figures may also not be represented on the same scale.
- With reference to
Figures 1-6 ,numeral 10 indicates a container configured to receive therein anassembly 12 formed by a plurality ofrods 14.Figure 1 shows thecontainer 10 in a partially open configuration, in which it is progressively filled withrods 14 coming from the section of a machine that produces them. - The
container 10 comprises aU-shaped frame 16 including abottom wall 18 and twoside walls 20 parallel to each other and perpendicular to thebottom wall 18. Thebottom wall 18 and the twoside walls 20 are permanently fixed to each other. - The
container 10 comprises a first and asecond front cover frame 16 and located on opposite sides of theframe 16 so as to close the two opposite front faces of theframe 16. - The
container 10 also comprises anupper closing element 26 connected in a releasable manner to the upper ends of theside walls 20 of theframe 16. - The
frame 16, the first and second front covers 22, 24 and theupper closing element 26 are preferably made of plastic material. - With reference to
Figures 1 and 2 , during the filling step, thecontainer 10 has an open front face and an open upper side. With reference toFigure 2 , when thecontainer 10 is full ofrods 14, thesecond front cover 24 and theupper closing element 26 are fixed to theframe 16 in the manner described below. - With reference to
Figures 3 and 4 , in a possible embodiment, therods 14 have a length L greater than the width W of theside walls 20 of theframe 16 so that the ends of therods 14 protrude from opposite parts of theside walls 20. - With reference to
Figures 3 and 4 , the first and second front covers 22, 24 may haverespective edges 28 protruding from a respective flat wall. Theedges 28 may be connected in a releasable manner to theframe 16 bymagnets 30 or by snap engagement teeth. The ends of therods 14 that protrude beyond the edges of theside walls 20 are received in the space between the flat walls and theedges 28 of the first and second front covers 22, 24. - With reference to
Figure 5 , theupper closing element 26 may be connected in a releasable manner to the upper ends of theside walls 20 by snap engagement means. The snap engagement means may comprise atoothed portion 34 formed on the inner surface of the upper end of eachside wall 20 which cooperates with at least onetooth 36 located at each side end of theupper closing element 26. Theteeth 36 located at the opposite ends of theupper closing element 26 snap into engagement with the respectivetoothed portions 34 of theside walls 20 following a movement from top to bottom of theupper closing element 26. In a possible embodiment, theupper closing element 26 may be connected in a releasable manner to theframe 16 by magnets. - The inner surface of the
upper closing element 26 may have anelastic layer 38 which rests on the upper layer of therods 14 and establishes a compression of theassembly 12, which avoids misalignments of therods 14. Theupper closing member 26 may comprise springs that compress in a vertical direction to apply an elastic compressive force to theassembly 12 ofrods 14. - Once filled and closed, the
containers 10 are transported to a warehouse. The transport of thecontainers 10 to the warehouse may be carried out by automatic guided vehicles (AGV) or by belt conveyors. - In
Figures 7-10 ,numeral 40 indicates an apparatus for loading therods 14 into a hopper of a feeding device. - The
apparatus 40 comprises anemptying station 42 in which anassembly 12 ofrods 14 is extracted from therespective container 10 in the way that will be described below. - The filled
containers 10 may be transported to theapparatus 40 by aconveyor 44. Theapparatus 40 includes arobot 46 which picks up thefull containers 10 from theconveyor 44 and deposits them in awaiting station 48. Therobot 46 may also pick upempty containers 10 from thewaiting station 48 and deposit them on a conveyor that takes them to therod production machine 14. In a possible embodiment, theconveyor 44 could be a pallet transported manually or by an automatic guided vehicle (AGV). - The
apparatus 40 includes ablocking device 50 for locking acontainer 10 in theemptying station 42. Theblocking device 50 may include twoclamps 52 operated byrespective actuators 54, which compress thebottom wall 18 of acontainer 10 from opposite sides. - The
apparatus 40 includes afirst manipulator device 56 configured to remove thefront covers frame 16 of afull container 10 and to apply thefront covers frame 16 of anempty container 10. Thefirst manipulator device 56 includes twoactuators 58 which move respectivegripping members 60 in the horizontal directions indicated by thearrows 62 inFigure 7 . The grippingmembers 60 may grip respective front covers 22, 24 by suction or by mechanical grippers. After having gripped the front covers 22, 24 by the respective grippingmembers 60, theactuators 58 move the grippingmembers 60 away from thecontainer 10 and - in this way - remove the front covers 22, 24 from theframe 16. Thefirst manipulator device 56 may also apply the front covers 22, 24 to theframe 16 after the removal of theassembly 12 ofrods 14 from theframe 16, as will be described later. - The
apparatus 40 comprises asecond manipulator device 64 configured to remove theupper closing element 26 from theframe 16 of afull container 10, and to apply theupper closing element 26 to theframe 16 of an empty container. Thesecond manipulator device 64 comprises anactuator 66 which moves a grippingmember 68 in the vertical direction indicated by thearrow 70 inFigures 7 and8 . The grippingmember 68 may grip theupper closing element 26 by suction or by mechanical grippers. After having gripped theupper closing element 26 by the grippingmember 68, theactuator 66 moves the grippingmember 68 away from thecontainer 10 and - in this way - removes theupper closing element 26 from theframe 16. To facilitate removal of theupper closing element 26 from theframe 16, means can be provided to separate the upper ends of theside walls 20. Thesecond manipulator device 64 may also apply theupper closing element 26 to theframe 16 after the removal of theassembly 12 ofrods 14 from theframe 16, as will be described below. - The
apparatus 40 comprises anextractor device 72 configured to grip theassembly 12 ofrods 14 from theframe 16 of a filledcontainer 10. Theextractor device 72 comprises a grippingmember 74 including twovertical plates 76 parallel to each other, movable in a horizontal direction between an open position and a closed position. The grippingmember 74 of theextractor device 72 is movable in the vertical direction and in a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction. The grippingmember 74 may, for example, be carried by a Cartesian robot. Theextractor device 72 may also grip acontainer 10 and may be used to transferfull containers 10 from the waitingstation 48 to the emptyingstation 42, andempty containers 10 from the emptyingstation 42 to the waitingstation 48. - The
apparatus 40 previously described is configured to implement a method for loading anassembly 12 ofrods 14, inparticular rods 14 for producing smoking articles, comprising a step of gripping theassembly 12 by grippingmeans 76, and a release step of saidassembly 12 in aloading station 78, wherein in saidassembly 12 saidrods 14 have respective longitudinal axes parallel to each other and parallel to a horizontal plane, wherein said gripping means 76 clamp saidassembly 12 between two gripping planes parallel to each other, and carry saidassembly 12 into theloading station 78 while maintaining the longitudinal axes of saidrods 14 parallel to said horizontal plane. - Specifically, the operation of the
apparatus 40 is as follows. - The
full containers 10 are taken from the warehouse in which they have spent the prescribed curing period and are transported towards theapparatus 40 by theconveyor 44. When acontainer 10 is close to theapparatus 40, therobot 46 picks up thecontainer 10 on theconveyor 44 and deposits it in the waitingstation 48. - The
extractor device 72 grabs thecontainer 10 located in the waitingstation 48 by means of the grippingmember 74 and transfers it to the emptyingstation 42. - Then, the blocking device is activated which, by means of the
clamps 52, locks thebottom wall 18 of theframe 16 in the emptyingstation 42. - At this point, the
first manipulator device 56 is activated which, through theactuators 58, brings the grippingmembers 60 into contact with the respective front covers 22, 24. The grippingmembers 60 grip the front covers 22, 24 by suction or mechanical grippers and are then moved away from theframe 16 so as to detach the front covers 22, 24 from theframe 16. - After the front covers 22, 24 have been detached from the
frame 16, the grippingmember 74 of theextractor device 72 is positioned in the emptyingstation 42 so that the twovertical plates 76 in the open position are located on opposite sides of theassembly 12 ofrods 12. Then, the twovertical plates 76 are brought into the closed position so that the twovertical plates 76 abut in the horizontal direction against opposite ends of theassembly 12 ofrods 12 as illustrated inFigure 8 . The twovertical plates 76 in the closed position hold theassembly 12 ofrods 14. The twovertical plates 76 may be provided with a protruding lower edge to form support surfaces for the ends of therods 14 forming the lower layer of theassembly 12. Protruding edges may also be provided along the vertical sides of thevertical plates 76 to retain the vertical edges of theassembly 12 ofrods 14. - While the
assembly 12 ofrods 14 is held between the twovertical plates 76, thesecond manipulator device 64 brings the grippingmember 68 into engagement with theupper closing element 26 and removes theupper closing element 26 in the vertical direction from theframe 16. The grippingmember 74 of theextractor device 72 may be configured so as to leave a free space between thevertical plates 76, which allows the passage in the vertical direction of theupper closing element 26. - After having removed the
upper closing element 26 from theframe 16, the grippingmember 74 of theextractor device 72 is moved in a vertical direction so as to extract theassembly 12 ofrods 14 from theframe 16 in a vertical direction, which remains retained in the emptyingstation 42 by the blockingdevice 50. - Then, as illustrated in
Figures 10 and11 , theextractor device 72 moves the grippingmember 74 with theassembly 12 ofrods 14 held between the twovertical plates 76 and inserts the twovertical plates 76 and theassembly 12 ofrods 14 inside aloading station 78 formed, for example, by a hopper. The grippingmember 74 of theextractor device 72 can rotate by 90° between the extraction position of theassembly 12 and the insertion position of theassembly 12 into thehopper 78. - When the
assembly 12 ofrods 14 is inserted into thehopper 78, the twovertical plates 76 are spaced apart to make therods 14 fall inside thehopper 78. - The
assembly 12 ofrods 14 is inserted into thehopper 78 until a lower side of theassembly 12 ofrods 14 is brought into close proximity to therods 14 already contained inside thehopper 78. In this way, the free fall distance of the rods is as short as possible. The free fall distance of therods 14 into thehopper 78 can be reduced to substantially zero. - The fact that the
rods 14 are released from the grippingmember 74 of theextractor device 72 when they are already inserted inside thehopper 78 substantially reduces the risks of jamming of the feeder device due to incorrect orientation of therods 14 in thehopper 78. - A particularly relevant aspect of the solution according to the present invention is that the
assembly 12 ofrods 14 is always retained throughout the entire process. In fact, after the removal of the front covers 22, 24 from theframe 16, theassembly 12 continues to be held by theupper closing element 26 which holds theassembly 12 in theframe 16 by compression. Then, the twovertical plates 76 of theextractor device 72 grip theassembly 12 while this is still held in theframe 16 by theupper closing element 26. Theupper closing element 26 is only removed after theassembly 12 has already been gripped by the twovertical plates 76 of theextractor device 72. Therefore, theassembly 12 is retained in a positive way until it is inserted into thehopper 78. - While the
extractor device 72 unloads theassembly 12 ofrods 14 into thehopper 78, thefirst manipulator device 56 can apply the front covers 22, 24 to theframe 16, and thesecond manipulator device 64 can apply theupper closing element 26 to theframe 16 as illustrated inFigure 11 , so that anempty container 10 is assembled in the emptyingstation 42. Then, theextractor device 72 may grip theempty container 10 located in the emptyingstation 42 by means of the grippingmember 74, and can transfer theempty container 10 to the waitingstation 48. Then, therobot 46 may pick up theempty container 10 in the waitingstation 48 and transfer it to an outlet conveyor and then load afull container 10 into the waitingstation 48 for a new cycle. - In a possible embodiment, the
robot 46 could pick up theempty container 10 directly in the emptyingstation 42 and transfer it to the outlet conveyor. Therobot 46 could also transfer thefull container 10 from theconveyor 44 to the emptyingstation 42 avoiding the passage through the waitingstation 48. - Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the details of construction and the embodiments can be widely varied with respect to those described and illustrated, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims that follow.
Claims (10)
- A method for loading an assembly (12) of rods (14), in particular rods (14) for producing smoking articles, comprising a step of gripping the assembly (12) by gripping means (76) and a step of releasing said assembly (12) into a loading station (78), wherein in said assembly (12) said rods (14) have respective longitudinal axes parallel to each other and parallel to a horizontal plane, characterized in that said gripping means (76) clamp said assembly (12) between two gripping planes parallel to each other and bring said assembly (12) into the loading station (78) keeping the longitudinal axes of said rods (14) parallel to said horizontal plane.
- The method of claim 1, wherein said gripping planes are orthogonal to said horizontal plane.
- The method according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising:- providing a container (10) comprising a U-shaped frame (16) including a bottom wall (18) and two side walls (20), a first and a second front cover (22, 24) releasably connected to the frame (16) and an upper closing element (26) releasably connected to the upper ends of the side walls (20) of the frame (16),- arranging the container (10) in a partially open position in which the first front cover (22) is connected to the frame (16) and wherein the second front cover (24) and the upper closing element (26) are separated from the frame (16), and- arranging said rods (14) in the container (10) in said partially open position so as to form said assembly (12) of rods (14).
- The method according to claim 3, comprising:- closing the container (10) filled with rods (14) by connecting the second front cover (24) and the upper closing element (26) to the frame (16),- transporting the closed container (10) to an emptying station (42),- removing the first and second front covers (22, 24) from the frame (16),- gripping the assembly (12) of rods (14) in the frame (16).
- The method of claim 4, comprising removing the upper closing element (26) from the frame (16) after the step of gripping the assembly (12) of rods (14) in the frame (16).
- The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein said rods (14) have a length (L) greater than a width (W) of said side walls (20).
- The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the assembly (12) of rods (14) located in the frame (16) is gripped by two vertical walls (76) movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position.
- The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein said upper closing element (26) compresses in the vertical direction the upper layer of rods (14) of the assembly (12).
- An apparatus for loading an assembly (12) of rods (14), in particular rods (14) for producing smoking articles, in a loading station (78), wherein in said assembly (12) said rods (14) have respective longitudinal axes parallel to each other and parallel to a horizontal plane, wherein the apparatus comprises gripping means (76) configured to clamp said assembly (12) between two gripping planes parallel to each other and to carry said assembly (12) into the loading station (78) keeping the longitudinal axes of said rods (14) parallel to said horizontal plane.
- The apparatus according to claim 9, comprising:- at least one container (10) configured to contain an assembly (12) of rods (14), comprising a U-shaped frame (16) including a bottom wall (18) and two side walls (20), a first and a second front cover (22, 24) releasably connected to the frame (16) and an upper closing element (26) releasably connected to the upper ends of the side walls (20) of the frame (16),- an emptying station (42) configured to receive a closed container (10),- a first manipulator device (56) configured to remove the first and second front covers (22, 24) from the frame (16),- a second manipulator device (64) configured to remove the upper closing element (26) from the frame (16) .
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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IT202200019935 | 2022-09-28 |
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EP4344557A1 true EP4344557A1 (en) | 2024-04-03 |
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Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP23199210.8A Pending EP4344557A1 (en) | 2022-09-28 | 2023-09-22 | A method and apparatus for loading rods into a loading station |
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DE3336688A1 (en) * | 1982-10-27 | 1984-05-03 | Hauni-Werke Körber & Co KG, 2050 Hamburg | Conveying apparatus for pallets filled with cigarettes |
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WO2010143984A1 (en) * | 2009-06-10 | 2010-12-16 | International Tobacco Machinery | Method of unloading rod-like elements collected in a tray and a device for unloading trays filled with rod-like elements |
JP5095963B2 (en) | 2005-07-04 | 2012-12-12 | ジー.デー ソチエタ ペル アツィオニ | Method and apparatus for handling and transporting batches of tobacco products |
CN113859938A (en) * | 2021-08-31 | 2021-12-31 | 红云红河烟草(集团)有限责任公司 | Tobacco bale unloads a set machine |
-
2023
- 2023-09-22 EP EP23199210.8A patent/EP4344557A1/en active Pending
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DE3336688A1 (en) * | 1982-10-27 | 1984-05-03 | Hauni-Werke Körber & Co KG, 2050 Hamburg | Conveying apparatus for pallets filled with cigarettes |
US5106254A (en) | 1989-07-20 | 1992-04-21 | Korber Ag | Apparatus for filling and emptying trays for rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry |
US6158194A (en) | 1997-12-17 | 2000-12-12 | Hauni Maschinenbau Ag | Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry |
JP5095963B2 (en) | 2005-07-04 | 2012-12-12 | ジー.デー ソチエタ ペル アツィオニ | Method and apparatus for handling and transporting batches of tobacco products |
WO2010143984A1 (en) * | 2009-06-10 | 2010-12-16 | International Tobacco Machinery | Method of unloading rod-like elements collected in a tray and a device for unloading trays filled with rod-like elements |
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