EP4732965A1

EP4732965A1 - Appliance for sorting manufactured articles

Info

Publication number: EP4732965A1
Application number: EP25211443.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fabio TAROZZI
Original assignee: Siti B&T Group SpA
Current assignee: Siti B&T Group SpA
Priority date: 2024-10-28
Filing date: 2025-10-27
Publication date: 2026-04-29

Abstract

The appliance (1) for sorting manufactured articles, comprises:
- one base frame (2) for resting on the ground;
- one income line (3) associated with the base frame (2) and defining an income direction (A1) of the manufactured articles (M) to be sorted;
- at least one receiving assembly (4) of the manufactured articles (M) arranged on one side only of the income line (3);
- at least one sorting assembly (5, 15) adapted to selectively grasp the manufactured articles (M) to be sorted and to transfer them from the income line (3) to the receiving assembly (4);
- at least one output line (6) arranged inferiorly to the income line (3) and defining a direction of away movement (A2) of the sorted manufactured articles (M);
where the receiving assembly (4) is adapted to transfer the manufactured articles (M) to the output line (6);
where the income line (3) and the output line (6) are substantially vertically aligned with each other; and

it comprises at least one rejection line (16) running on one side only of the income line (3) and is arranged on the opposite side with respect to the receiving assembly (4)
and wherein the sorting assembly (5, 15) comprises at least one primary sorting assembly (15) further operable to selectively grasp the manufactured articles (M) and to transfer them from the income line (3) to the rejection line (16).

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an appliance for sorting manufactured articles, particularly ceramic manufactured articles.

Background Art

The use is well known of special appliances adapted to sort various types of manufactured articles, separating them according to pre-established characteristics (size, color, shape, etc.) and grouping them according to their uniformity in one or more of these characteristics.
With particular reference to the ceramic sector, such appliances are generally set up in areas where manufactured articles such as tiles, slabs, or similar items are packaged, where they arrive in a row, sliding along dedicated income and output lines.
To fulfill their purpose, known appliances comprise sorting means which are arranged at the income line and are configured to grasp the manufactured articles transported along the latter (e.g., by means of clamps or suction devices) and to transfer them, according to one or more of the aforementioned pre-established characteristics, to respective temporary storage stations located at the side of the conveying line.
In actual facts, the sorting means selectively collect the manufactured articles and, by placing those with similar pre-established characteristics at the same storage stations, effectively determine the sorting thereof.
Therefore, thanks to the action of the sorting means, the manufactured articles thus separated are gradually stacked on top of each other at the various storage stations to form stacks of structurally and/or aesthetically similar products intended for packaging.
That said, it is important to explain that the state-of-the-art appliances have numerous drawbacks that make them susceptible to improvement.
One drawback of the appliances of known type concerns the handling of the manufactured articles that must be rejected because they do not meet the required quality standards.
In this regard, the known type of appliances provides for a rejection station located at the end of the income line. More specifically, at the end stretch of the income line there is generally a 90° curve that allows the manufactured articles to be rejected and which have therefore not been picked up by the sorting means, to be diverted so as to convey them to a collection container or a crusher.
These solutions of known type allow for the handling of all manufactured articles that can be moved on belts and are small enough to be rotated at the end of the income line.
However, the aforementioned appliances of known type involve a significant lengthening of the plant layout and are therefore not suitable for use in confined spaces.
This limitation is particularly pronounced in the case of large-sized slabs, e.g. 1200-1800 mm long, as the space required to allow them to be rotated is up to 1.5-2 times the length of the slab.
Furthermore, appliances of the known type described above involve, particularly in the ceramic sector, a plant constraint in that the waste collection container or crusher must necessarily be placed between the appliance described and the packaging line downstream of the same.
Last but not least, the considerable length of these appliances of known type makes their use particularly inconvenient for operators, who are forced to walk long distances repeatedly.

Description of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to devise an appliance for sorting manufactured articles that is compact in size compared to the appliances of known type and can therefore be easily installed even in small spaces.
Within this aim, one object of the present invention is to devise an appliance the longitudinal extension of which is not affected by the maximum dimensions of the sorted manufactured articles.
Still another object is to devise an appliance that can be easily integrated with the adjacent machines within a ceramic plant.
Last but not least object is to devise an appliance that is easy and practical for operators to use.
Another object of the present invention is to devise an appliance for sorting manufactured articles that allows the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art to be overcome with a simple, rational, easy, and effective solution having an affordable cost.
The aforementioned objects are achieved by the present appliance for sorting manufactured articles according to claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a device for sorting manufactured articles, illustrated by way of an indicative, yet non-limiting example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an axonometric view of an appliance according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the appliance of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a plan view from above of the appliance of Figure 1.

Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to these figures, reference numeral 1 globally indicates an appliance for sorting manufactured articles, particularly ceramic manufactured articles.
It should be noted that, in the context of this disclosure, the term "manufactured articles" refers, preferably, to semi-finished slab-shaped articles made of ceramic material, particularly of the type of ceramic tiles.
It cannot however be ruled out that the same term may also be used to designate semi-finished slab-shaped articles made of different materials, such as marble, stone, or other materials known to experts in the field.
The appliance 1 comprises:

at least one base frame 2 for resting on the ground;
at least one income line 3 associated with the base frame 2 and defining an income direction A1 of the manufactured articles M to be sorted;
at least one receiving assembly 4 of the manufactured articles M, arranged on the side of the income line 3;
at least one sorting assembly 5,15 adapted to selectively grasp the manufactured articles M to be sorted and to transfer them from the income line 3 to the receiving assembly 4;
at least one output line 6 arranged inferiorly to the income line 3 and defining a direction of away movement A2 of the sorted manufactured articles M, where the receiving assembly 4 is adapted to transfer the manufactured articles M to the output line 6.

The income line 3 and the output line 6 are substantially vertically aligned with each other.
In other words, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the income direction A1 of the manufactured articles M to be sorted and the direction of away movement A2 of the sorted manufactured articles M belong to a common vertical lying plane P.
This mutual arrangement of the income line 3 and of the output line 6 allows for easy connection of the appliance 1 with the machines located upstream and downstream, and greater simplicity of installation and maintenance compared to known appliances.
Starting to detail the income line 3 and the output line 6, it is worth mentioning first of all that they are preferably made up of at least one motorized conveyor belt (preferably two) on which the manufactured articles M to be sorted and the sorted manufactured articles M are transported, respectively.
As mentioned, the income line 3 defines one income direction A1, the latter being arranged substantially horizontal.
Similarly, the direction of away movement A2 defined by the output line 6 is also arranged substantially horizontal.
In actual facts, the income direction A1 and the direction of away movement A2 are substantially parallel to each other.
The output line 6 can be conveniently connected to one or more stations where the sorted manufactured articles M are to be sent, e.g. to one or more stations where they are packaged.
Starting with the description of the sorting assembly 5, it should be noted that, as shown in the figures, it is located on top of the income line 3.
In particular, the sorting assembly 5,15 preferably comprises:

at least two gripping elements 7,17 of the manufactured articles M to be sorted; and
transfer means 8,18 of the gripping elements 7,17, adapted to move the latter alternately between at least one gripping position and at least one release position.

Specifically, the gripping elements 7,17 are displaced along a horizontal driving direction G.
In particular, the driving direction G is transverse to the income direction A1 and to the direction of away movement A2.
More specifically, the driving direction G is substantially orthogonal to the income direction A1 and to the direction of away movement A2.
With regard to the aforementioned positions, at the gripping position, the gripping elements 7,17 are vertically aligned with the income line 3 and, therefore, are able to grasp the manufactured articles M to be sorted that are transported thereon.
On the other hand, at the release position (which will be described in more detail later in this disclosure), the gripping elements 7,17 are moved away from the income line 3 and positioned at the sorting assembly 5, where they release the previously grasped manufactured articles M.
In this regard, it should be noted that the gripping elements 7,17 may have a single degree of freedom corresponding to the possibility of moving along the aforementioned driving direction G.
Alternatively, the sorting assembly 5,15 can be made in such a way as to allow the gripping elements 7,17 to move along a substantially vertical direction as well.
Appropriately, the gripping elements 7,17 of each sorting assembly 5,15 can be moved along the relevant driving directions G independently of each other or in a synchronized manner.
Passing to describe the gripping elements 7,17 further, it can be added that they can work by suction and be, in this sense, of the type of suction cups or similar devices.
It cannot, however, be ruled out the possibility of providing different types of gripping elements 7, 17, e.g. of the type of mechanical clamps or other types known to those skilled in the art.
Preferably, the transfer means 8,18 comprise at least two rails 9,19 running along the driving direction G, where each gripping element 7, 17 is associated with a respective rail 9,19 in a sliding manner at least between the gripping position and the release position.
In this regard, and as shown in the figures, the sorting assembly 5,15 comprises at least one holding crossbar 10 associated with the base frame 2 and with which the rails 9,19 are associated.
In this case, the rails 9, 19 and, with them, the respective gripping elements 7, 17 are located on the holding crossbar 10 at positions opposite each other.
Like the rails 9,19, the holding crossbar 10 also runs substantially parallel to the driving direction G.
According to the invention, the appliance 1 comprises a rejection line 16 which runs from only one side of the income line 3 and is arranged on the opposite side to the receiving assembly 4, and the sorting assembly 5, 15 comprises at least one primary sorting assembly 15 further operable to selectively grasp the manufactured articles M and to transfer them from the income line 3 to the rejection line 16.
The primary sorting assembly 15 therefore comprises relevant gripping elements 17.
Advantageously, the transfer means 8, 18 comprise primary transfer means 18 of the primary sorting assembly 15, which are adapted to further move the relevant gripping elements 17 to a rejection position, wherein they are arranged on top of the rejection line 16, where said rejection position is arranged on the opposite side to the release position with respect to the gripping position.
More specifically, the gripping elements 17 of the primary sorting assembly 15 are associated with a respective rail 19 in a sliding manner between the gripping position, the release position and the rejection position. Specifically, the rail 19 of the primary sorting assembly 18 is substantially aligned with the rejection line 16 along the driving direction G.
The rejection line 16 is at an angle with respect to the income line 3 so as to allow the transfer by gravity of the manufactured articles M released by the primary sorting assembly 18 on the rejection line itself.
Appropriately, the appliance 1 comprises a collection container 17 of the rejected manufactured articles M, wherein this collection container 17 is arranged at an end stretch of the rejection line 16.
The rejection line 16 may consist of an idle roller conveyor or, alternatively, may be motorized, e.g. it may consist of a motorized belt or motorized straps.
Preferably, the appliance 1 comprises a plurality of sorting assemblies 5, 15 and a plurality of receiving assemblies 4 arranged in succession to each other along the income direction A1, where the sorting assemblies 5, 15 comprise at least one primary sorting assembly 15 and at least one auxiliary sorting assembly 5. The auxiliary sorting assembly 5 therefore comprises relevant gripping elements 7.
The transfer means 8, 18 comprise auxiliary transfer means 8 of the auxiliary sorting assembly 5, which are adapted to move the relevant gripping elements 7 only between the gripping position and the release position.
Appropriately, the rails 19 of the primary sorting assembly 15 extend beyond the rails 9 of the auxiliary sorting assembly 5 along the driving direction G. In other words, the rail 19 of the primary sorting assembly 15 has a greater extension along the relevant driving direction G than the rail 9 of the auxiliary sorting assembly 5.
Preferably, the primary sorting assembly 15 is arranged downstream or upstream of the auxiliary sorting assembly 5 along the income direction A1. In other words, the primary sorting assembly 15 may be the first or last of the sorting assemblies 5, 15 arranged in succession with each other along the income direction A1.
In the preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment shown in the figures, the appliance 1 comprises a plurality of auxiliary sorting assemblies 5 arranged in succession with each other and a single primary sorting assembly 15 arranged downstream, with respect to the income direction A1, of the last auxiliary sorting assembly 5. In this embodiment, the rejection line 16 and the primary sorting assembly 15 are arranged at the end stretch of the income line 3. Advantageously, the gripping elements 7, 17 of each sorting assembly 5, 15 are independently movable along the driving direction G. This allows the sorting phases to be optimized, as the gripping elements 7, 17 are moved according to the specific requirements of the case, being able to move in a coordinated manner, e.g. to transport large-sized manufactured articles M, or in a staggered manner, e.g. for small to medium-sized manufactured articles M, so as to increase the production output.
The manufactured articles M arriving along the income line 3 are then picked up by the sorting assemblies 5, 15 and placed on the respective receiving assemblies 4 according to their type, aesthetic and/or dimensional characteristics, so as to form homogeneous stacks of manufactured articles M thereon.
If any of the manufactured articles M have defects that require them to be rejected, they are allowed to pass through to the primary sorting assembly 15, which moves the relevant gripping elements 17 to the rejection position, i.e., in the opposite way to the corresponding receiving assembly 4, so that they are released onto the rejection line 16.
The primary sorting assembly 15 can therefore perform the dual function of picking up and transferring the manufactured articles M to be sorted onto the corresponding receiving assembly 4 and of picking up and transferring the manufactured articles M to be rejected onto the rejection line 16.
Preferably, the receiving assembly 4 comprises:

at least one stacking structure 11 defining an inclined direction of stacking I; and
supporting means 12 of the manufactured articles M associated with the stacking structure 11 in a movable manner along the direction of stacking I between a raised position and a lowered position.

As can be seen in the figures, the stacking structure 11 has a substantially elongated shape.
In this case, the stacking structure 11 defines a respective first guide 11a extending along the direction of stacking I and wherein the supporting means 12 slide between the raised position and the lowered position.
Furthermore, the stacking structure 11 extends from top to bottom, approaching the income line 3 and the output line 6.
More specifically, the direction of stacking I is transverse to the lying plane P. In actual facts, the direction of stacking I is skewed with respect to the income direction A1 and to the direction of away movement A2.
Conveniently, the income line 3 is located substantially at the same height occupied by the supporting means 12 at the raised position.
Similarly, the output line 6 can be arranged substantially at the same height occupied by the resting element 14 at the lowered position, although it cannot be ruled out that it may also reach a position placed at a lower height than the output line 6.
Specifically, at the raised position, the supporting means 12 are free of manufactured articles M to support.
As more and more manufactured articles M are stacked on the supporting means 12, the latter are progressively lowered from the raised position.
In particular, the lowering of the supporting means 12 is such that the last manufactured article M to be added to the stack is always released at the same height regardless of the height of the stack itself. The gripping elements 7, 17 therefore release the manufactured articles M on the relevant resting elements 14 always at the same height.
Once the desired amount of manufactured articles M has been stacked on the supporting means 12, the latter are lowered further along the direction of stacking I and thus brought to the lowered position.
This means that, when the maximum number of manufactured articles M stacked on the supporting means 12 is achieved, the latter are not yet at the lowered position, but at an intermediate position between the raised position and the lowered position itself.
Therefore, once deposited in the various receiving assemblies 4, the manufactured articles M sorted in this way create stacks of structurally and/or aesthetically similar products that can be sent for packaging.
Describing the supporting means 12 in greater detail, it should be noted that they comprise:

at least one supporting base 13 movably associated with the stacking structure 11 along the direction of stacking I; and
at least one resting element 14 intended to receive and support the manufactured articles M and associated together with the supporting base 13 along the direction of stacking I.

In particular, the supporting base 13 has an elongated shape and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the driving direction G.
In actual facts, the supporting base 13 and the holding crossbar 10 are arranged parallel to each other.
It should be noted at this point that, at the release position, the gripping elements 7 are vertically aligned with the respective resting element 14.
This means that the gripping elements 7 of the auxiliary sorting assembly 5 are moved horizontally between a position of vertical alignment with the income line 3 (i.e., the gripping position) and a position of vertical alignment with the resting element 14 (i.e., the release position). The gripping elements 17 of the primary sorting assembly 15, on the other hand, are also moved to the rejection position, wherein they are vertically misaligned with respect to both the income line 3 and the resting element 14.
It is also important to explain that the resting element 14 is movable, with respect to the supporting base 13, along a substantially horizontal direction of work L.
In actual facts, the resting element 14 has two degrees of freedom corresponding to the possibility of moving along two transverse directions, one corresponding to direction of stacking I and the other corresponding to the direction of work L.
As both are horizontal, the direction of work L is substantially parallel to the driving direction G.
In this case, the resting element 14 is adapted to displace, along the direction of work L, away from the output line 6 during the displacement of the supporting base 13 along the direction of stacking I from the raised position to the lowered position.
Specifically, at the raised position, the resting element 14 is arranged at an extended position where it is located, along the direction of work L, at the end of the supporting base 13 facing the output line 6. As the manufactured articles M are stacked on the supporting means 12 and the supporting base 13 moves towards the lowered position, the resting element 14 is moved along the direction of work L so as to move progressively from the aforementioned extended position towards the opposite end of the supporting base 13, until it reaches a retracted position wherein it is placed in the proximity of such opposite end and at the maximum distance from the extended position. Specifically, the fact that the resting element 14 moves back along the direction of work L, away from the extended position, as an increasing number of manufactured articles M are stacked on the supporting means 12 allows the resting element 14 to reduce its own height while maintaining its horizontal position substantially unchanged with respect to the gripping elements 7, 17. In other words, the resting element 14 remains vertically aligned with the release position of the gripping elements 7, 17 during its descent along the direction of stacking I.
This expedient allows the manufactured articles M to be stacked on the resting element 14 in such a way that they form vertical stacks, with the added benefit of safety and efficiency in their sorting.
It should also be added that the resting element 14 is movable along the direction of work L to at least one storage position of the manufactured articles M, wherein it protrudes from the supporting base 13.
In particular, the storage position is located at the same height or at a lower height than the lowered position.
In particular, the resting element 14 at the storage position overlaps at least partly with the output line 6, thus allowing the stack of manufactured articles M supported thereby to be released onto the latter and the stack itself to be moved away.
In this case, to allow this operation to be performed correctly, the output line 6 comprises at least one interrupted stretch located at the receiving assembly 4 and adapted to allow the resting element 14 to be inserted into the output line itself.
In this sense, placing the resting element 14 at the storage position means that it crosses the interrupted stretch and, therefore, inserts itself into the output line 6, allowing the stack of manufactured articles M supported thereby to be unloaded onto the latter and conveyed, e.g., to the aforementioned packaging station.
In actual facts, it has been ascertained that the described invention achieves the intended objects and, in particular, the fact should be emphasized that the appliance according to the present invention allows the longitudinal development of the appliance itself to be optimized, thus favoring its use even in small spaces and its integration with downstream machines.
In particular, the positioning of the rejection line on the opposite side of the receiving assembly and the use of one of the sorting assemblies to perform the dual function of sorting and rejecting the manufactured articles allows for the optimization of the appliance's dimensions and production output. Furthermore, the longitudinal development of this solution is more independent of the dimensions of maximum sizes to be sorted/rejected.

Claims

Appliance (1) for sorting manufactured articles, comprising:
- at least one base frame (2) for resting on the ground;

- at least one income line (3) associated with said base frame (2) and defining an income direction (A1) of the manufactured articles (M) to be sorted;

- at least one receiving assembly (4) of the manufactured articles (M) arranged on one side only of said income line (3);

- at least one sorting assembly (5, 15) adapted to selectively grasp said manufactured articles (M) to be sorted and to transfer them from said income line (3) to said receiving assembly (4);

- at least one output line (6) arranged inferiorly to said income line (3) and defining a direction of away movement (A2) of the sorted manufactured articles (M);

where said receiving assembly (4) is adapted to transfer the manufactured articles (M) to said output line (6);

where said income line (3) and said output line (6) are substantially vertically aligned with each other; and

characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one rejection line (16) running on one side only of said income line (3) and is arranged on the opposite side with respect to said receiving assembly (4)

and by the fact that said sorting assembly (5, 15) comprises at least one primary sorting assembly (15) further operable to selectively grasp said manufactured articles (M) and to transfer them from said income line (3) to said rejection line (16).
Appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said sorting assembly (5, 15) is movable along a driving direction (G) transverse to said income direction (A1).
Appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that said sorting assembly (5, 15) comprises:
- at least two gripping elements (7, 17) of the manufactured articles (M) to be sorted; and

- transfer means (8, 18) of said gripping elements (7, 17) adapted to move the latter along said driving direction (G) between at least one gripping position, wherein they are aligned vertically with said income line (3), and at least one release position, wherein they are arranged where said receiving assembly (4) is located.
Appliance (1) according to claim 3, characterized by the fact said transfer means (8, 18) comprise at least two rails (9, 19) running along said driving direction (G), each of said gripping elements (7, 17) being associated with a respective rail (9, 19) in a sliding manner at least between said gripping position and said release position.
Appliance (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by the fact that said transfer means (8, 18) comprise primary transfer means (18) of said primary sorting assembly (15) adapted to further move the relevant gripping elements (17) to a rejection position, wherein they are arranged on top of said rejection line (16), where said rejection position is arranged on the opposite side to said release position with respect to said gripping position.
Appliance (1) according to claims 4 and 5, characterized by the fact that the gripping elements (17) of said primary sorting assembly (15) are associated with a respective rail (19) in a sliding manner between said gripping position, said release position and said rejection position.
Appliance (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises a plurality of said sorting assemblies (5, 15) and a plurality of said receiving assemblies (4) arranged in succession to each other along said income direction (A1), where said sorting assemblies (5, 15) comprise at least one primary sorting assembly (15) and at least one auxiliary sorting assembly (5), where said transfer means (8, 18) comprise auxiliary transfer means (8) of said auxiliary sorting assembly (5) adapted to move the relevant gripping elements (7) only between said gripping position and said release position.
Appliance (1) according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that the rails (19) of said primary sorting assembly (15) extend beyond the rails (9) of said auxiliary sorting assembly (5) along said driving direction (G).
Appliance (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the gripping elements (7, 17) of each sorting assembly (5, 15) are independently movable along said driving direction (G).
Appliance (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said rejection line (16) is arranged at an angle with respect to said income line (3).
Appliance (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises a collection container (17) of the rejected manufactured articles (M), wherein said collection container (17) is arranged where an end stretch of said rejection line (16) is located.
Appliance (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the rail (19) of said primary transfer means (18) is substantially aligned with said rejection line (16) along said driving direction (G).
Appliance (1) according to claim 12, characterized by the fact that the rail (19) of said primary transfer means (18) has greater extension, along the relevant driving direction (G), than the rail (9) of said auxiliary transfer means (8).
Appliance (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises a single rejection line (16) and a single primary sorting assembly (15), wherein said rejection line (16) and said primary sorting assembly (15) are arranged where an end stretch of said income line (3) is located.
Appliance (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said receiving assembly (4) comprises:
- at least one stacking structure (11) defining an inclined direction of stacking (I); and

- supporting means (12) of said manufactured articles (M) associated with said stacking structure (11) in a movable manner along said direction of stacking (I) between a raised position and a lowered position.