FIELD OF THE INVENTION
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The present invention concerns an apparatus for orienting and transporting elongated articles, in particular non-axisymmetric elongated articles, in order to label them, and a labeling machine.
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Specifically, the non-axisymmetric elongated articles are of the type like pens for self-injecting drugs or other injectable products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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Devices for self-injecting one or more doses of a product such as, for example, a drug, a cosmetic product or suchlike are known. These devices are generally in the form of a pen, from which they also take the name, and are equipped with an injection end intended to be brought into contact with the skin to perform the injection. The injection end is covered by a special cap when the pen is not in use.
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Known pens have a window recessed into their body, longitudinally thereto, so as to indicate product data such as, for example, batch number and expiration date. To display more information it is known to apply an adhesive label all around a section of the pen.
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The application of the label is done by labelling machines equipped with a line for feeding the pens, which then pass through a labelling station before being fed into secondary packaging. The machines contain carriers to carry the pens; the carriers being configured to allow the pens to rotate so that the labels can be applied on their circumference.
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WO-A1-2021/191753 describes a system for transporting non-axisymmetric elongated articles comprising a plurality of carriers, each equipped with gripping and orienting members that allow to rotate the respective article about its longitudinal axis. Each carrier comprises a rotation locking member to lock the rotation of the article about its longitudinal axis, by acting on a pulley through which the rotation of the elongated article is operated.
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One problem with known solutions is that they do not allow to check the orientation of the pens when they reach the labeling station. For this reason, the application of the label on the pen is not repeatable, and this is a problem because many manufacturers want a precise positioning of the label to avoid hiding other parts of the pen, such as the window for example.
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In addition, this results in batches that have pens with the label applied with a different orientation than the others, which is not appreciated in the industry.
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There is therefore the need to perfect an apparatus for transporting elongated articles that can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.
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To do this, it is necessary to solve the technical problem of always orienting the pens in a same direction, in particular when they reach a labeling station.
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In particular, one purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and perfect a method for transporting elongated articles that allow to always orient such articles in the same angular direction.
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Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a labeling machine that allows to verify the correct orientation of the pens when they reach a labeling station.
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The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.
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In accordance with the above purposes and to solve the technical problem described above in a new and original way, also achieving considerable advantages compared to the state of the prior art, an apparatus according to the present invention for transporting and orienting elongated articles, in particular non-axisymmetric ones, comprises a conveying device operable to advance the elongated articles along a transport direction, a plurality of carriers operatively connected to the conveying device, each carrier being configured to receive a respective elongated article having a reference mark in a fixed position. Each carrier comprises gripping and orienting members configured to grip an elongated article at its ends. In particular, each carrier comprises a pair of gripping and orienting members positioned to face each other and rotatable about a common rotation axis, which is advantageously positioned orthogonally to the transport direction, the gripping and orienting members being configured such that, when an elongated article is held therebetween, a longitudinal axis of the elongated article is substantially aligned with the rotation axis.
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The apparatus also comprises a locking member configured to selectively lock rotation of the elongated article about the rotation axis, the locking member being movable between a locked position, in which the locking member prevents rotation of the elongated article about the rotation axis, and an unlocked position, in which it permits rotation of the elongated article about the rotation axis. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, at least one of the gripping and orienting members comprises a locking element positioned at a predefined orientation so that when the locking member engages the locking element, the reference mark of the elongated article is always in the same angular orientation relative to the carrier.
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This achieves at least has the advantage of always locking the pen's positioning with the same orientation. This is due to the interference between the locking member and the locking counter-member, which is provided on the elongated article or on a gripping member. In fact, the locking counter-member and the locking member are both in a fixed position, thus their interference can occur in a single point, resulting in the rotation of the elongated article always being locked with the same orientation.
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The apparatus according to the present invention is designed to handle non-axisymmetric elongated objects such as pens, medical devices, or tubes that cannot rotate freely without their orientation being controlled, because they have features (clips, flat sides, windows, irregular shapes) that require precise alignment. This is why gripping and orienting members and a locking member are required to hold the object in a predefined orientation prior to operations such as labeling. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a labeling machine is also provided for labeling elongated articles, in particular non-axisymmetric ones, the machine being equipped with a transport apparatus as described above, along the transport direction of which there is positioned at least one labeling station configured to apply a label to the elongated articles gripped by the pair of gripping and orienting members. Preferably, upstream of the labeling station along the transport direction, a control station is provided in which the orientation of the elongated article is checked. The control station is equipped with a control device configured to check the orientation of the elongated articles held by the pair of gripping and orienting members.
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In accordance with the above purposes and to solve the technical problem described above in a new and original way, also achieving considerable advantages compared to the state of the prior art, a method according to the present invention for transporting elongated objects, in particular non-axisymmetric ones, is implemented by using a transport and orientation apparatus comprising a conveying device having a plurality of carriers, each carrier comprising a pair of gripping and orienting members rotatable about a common rotation axis and a locking member movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the method comprising:
- feeding an elongated article to one of the carriers, the elongated article comprising a reference mark in a fixed position;
- holding the elongated article between the pair of gripping and orienting members such that a longitudinal axis of the elongated article is substantially aligned with the rotation axis;
- moving the locking member into the locked position so that it engages a locking element provided on at least one of the gripping and orienting members to prevent rotation of the article about the rotation axis, thereby fixing the orientation of the article;
- advancing the conveying device along a transport direction to convey the elongated article while the elongated article remains locked in the predefined orientation; and
- releasing the locking member by moving it to the unlocked position, thereby allowing controlled rotation of the elongated article about the rotation axis;
wherein the locking element is positioned at a predefined orientation so that when the locking member engages the locking element, the reference mark of the elongated article is always in the same angular orientation relative to the carrier.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:
- fig. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a labeling machine equipped with an apparatus for transporting elongated articles, according to the present invention;
- figs. 2, 3, and 4 are front views of elongated articles;
- fig. 5 is a three-dimensional view of a carrier of the transport apparatus, carrying an elongated article;
- fig. 6 is a longitudinal section view of the carrier of fig. 5, carrying the elongated article;
- fig. 7 is a three-dimensional view of a component of the carrier of fig. 5;
- fig. 8 is a three-dimensional view of a part of the carrier of figs. 5 and 6;
- fig. 9 is a three-dimensional view of a detail of the transport apparatus of fig. 1; and
- fig. 10 is a three-dimensional view of a station of the labeling machine.
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We must clarify that the phraseology and terminology used in the present description, as well as the figures in the attached drawings also in relation as to how described, have the sole function of better illustrating and explaining the present invention, their purpose being to provide a non-limiting example of the invention itself, since the scope of protection is defined by the claims.
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To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.
DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
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With reference to fig. 1, a transport and orientation apparatus 10 according to the present invention is shown, included in a labelling machine 100 for applying labels 101 on elongated articles 200.
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Within the scope of the present application, the elongated articles 200 are pens 200, in particular of the type for self-injecting doses of a product, such as for example a drug, a cosmetic product or suchlike. Each pen 200 has a longitudinal axis L1 (fig. 2), but is non-axisymmetric. However, the elongated articles can be others, such as for example medical devices or tubes having features that always have to be oriented with the same orientation, such as clips, flat sides, windows or irregular shapes, for example.
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Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show three examples of a pen 200, each being equipped with a respective cap 201 for closing and protecting the tip of the pen 200. The cap 201 constitutes a first end 200A of the pen 200. In a first variant, the pen 200 is equipped with a clip 202, in the form of a longitudinally oriented rod connected to the cap 201, as shown in fig. 2.
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Fig. 3 shows the same pen 200 as in fig. 2, with a label 101 applied thereon. As can be seen, the label 101 is applied to the pen 200 circumferentially, that is, on and around its lateral surface.
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Fig. 4 shows a second variant of the pen 200, in which a reference mark is provided, here in the form of a window 203 recessed in the body of the pen 200. In this window 203, data relating to the product contained in the pen 200 can be indicated, such as batch number and expiration date, for example. It can be provided that the pen 200 has both the rod 202 and also the window 203.
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The pen 200 shown here is of the multi-dose type, and for this purpose it is equipped with a wheel 204 for adjusting the amount of product to be injected. In a known manner, the wheel 204 is positioned perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L, so as to have its rotation axis coaxial therewith. The wheel 204 constitutes the second end 200B of the pen 200.
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In the case of a disposable pen 200, since the wheel 204 is not provided, the second end is constituted by the bottom of the pen's body.
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The transport and orientation apparatus 10 comprises a conveying device 11 and a plurality of carriers 20 provided on the conveying device 11. In particular, the conveying device 11 is configured to advance the carriers 20 stepwise along a transport direction A, following a rectilinear path. The conveying device 11 is represented here as a catenary, but it can be of another type, as long as it is able to advance the carriers 20 along the transport direction A. On both sides of the catenary there are provided advance means 11A of a known type, specifically endless belts, operated stepwise. For simplicity, only one pair of endless belts is shown in fig. 1.
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The catenary 11 is positioned so as to define a forward segment and a return segment of the path followed by the carriers 20 that lie in respective horizontal planes, the forward path being positioned upward and the return path downward.
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Each carrier 20 is configured to carry one pen 200 at a time. Each carrier 20 consists of a substantially parallelepiped carrier frame 21 having a development along a longitudinal axis L2, two gripping and orienting members 22, 23 slidably mounted on the carrier frame 21 so as to slide parallel to the longitudinal axis L2, and a locking member 24 (figs. 5 and 6). Note that the pair of gripping and orienting members 22, 23 is slidable along the longitudinal axis L1.
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The two gripping and orienting members consist of a first gripping and orienting member 22 and a second gripping and orienting member 23, which are configured to house the first end 200A and the second end 200B, respectively, of the pen 200.
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Each of the gripping and orienting members 22, 23 comprises a contact surface 22A, 22B having a shape complementary to an outer surface of the elongated article 200. In the example shown, the gripping and orienting members have a cylindrical shape with a central shaped seating 22A, 23A for housing the respective end 200A, 200B of the pen 200. To house the clip 202 of the pen 200, when provided, the corresponding gripping and orienting member 22 also comprises a longitudinal recess 22B, positioned outside the shaped seating 22A and communicating therewith (fig. 5).
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Each gripping and orienting member 22, 23 is rotatably mounted on a respective support body 25, 26 at a respective end of the carrier frame 21 (fig. 5). The two gripping and orienting members 22, 23 are mounted facing each other and aligned so as to be rotatable about a common rotation axis R (fig. 6). The rotation axis R is parallel to the longitudinal axis L2 of the carrier frame 21. Each carrier 20 is mounted on the conveying device 11 so that the rotation axis R extends substantially perpendicular to the transport direction A, advantageously remaining in a substantially horizontal plane.
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The support bodies 25, 26 are substantially plate-shaped. The gripping and orienting members 22, 23 are displaceable away from and toward each other. This is made possible thanks to the support bodies 25, 26, as in the example shown, which are slidably mounted longitudinally to the carrier frame 21. In particular, each support body 25, 26 comprises a respective arm 25A, 26A extending perpendicular thereto and positioned laterally, so as to slidably couple to the lateral walls of the carrier frame 21 (figs. 5 and 8).
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The locking member 24 is provided to lock the rotation of the pen 200 about the rotation axis R, which is substantially aligned with its longitudinal axis L1 when the pen 200 is gripped by the gripping and orienting members 22, 23 (fig. 6). The locking member 24 is positioned between the pair of gripping and orienting members 22, 23. In the example shown in the drawings, the locking member 24 is housed in a corresponding recess 210 created inside the carrier frame 21 of the carrier 20 and open upward, that is, toward the gripping and orienting members 22, 23. The locking member 24 can also only be positioned in the recess 210. The latter is positioned between the pair of gripping and orienting members 22, 23 on the carrier frame 21.
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To this end, the locking member 24 is displaceable between a locked position, in which it effectively locks rotation of the pen 200, and an unlocked position, in which rotation of the pen 200 is allowed. In the example depicted here, the locking member 24 comprises a body provided with an interference tooth 241 protruding from the frame. The body is in the form of a plate elongated along a development axis L3 (fig. 6). The tooth 241 extends perpendicularly from the upper edge of the frame at a first end 24A (figs. 6 and 7). This tooth 241 is the element that interferes with and locks the rotation of the pen 200, as will be explained below.
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In alternative embodiments, the locking member can provide a pin, a lever or a protrusion.
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In proximity to the second end 24B there is provided a through hole 242, intended to be inserted around a first pin 211 inside the seating 210 and which acts as a fulcrum. In proximity to the through hole 242 there is provided, in the upper edge of the locking member 24, a recess 243 configured to abut against a second pin 212 inside the seating 210 (figs. 6 and 7).
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The locking member 24 also comprises a wheel 244 configured to interact with drive means so as to determine the displacement of the locking member between locked position and unlocked position. The wheel 244 is at an opposite edge of the body relative to the edge of the tooth. In particular, in the example shown here, the wheel 244 is positioned at the end of a lower portion 245, which extends substantially perpendicularly from the lower edge of the locking member 24 (figs. 6 and 7). The wheel is attached rotatable about a rotation axis R1 substantially orthogonal to the development axis L3. We must clarify that the wheel 244 is placed in a substantially central position relative to the length of the locking member 24, and in particular it is in an intermediate position between the tooth 241 and the through hole 242, and at least at a distance from the latter.
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The wheel 244 protrudes externally from the carrier frame 21 of the carrier 20, so that it can then interact with the catenary 11, as will be explained below. For this purpose, the seating 210 has a lower aperture 210A with a length shorter than that of the locking member 24. In particular, the lower aperture 210A has a length such as to allow the passage of the lower portion 245 and also allow a slight movement thereof, which allows the locking member to pass from the active position to the inactive position. In particular, the lower aperture 210A stops before the first end 24A of the locking member 24, where the tooth 241 is positioned.
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The seating 210 comprises a lower support portion 213 positioned below the first end 24A of the locking member 24, and where an elastic element 214, in this case a spring, is positioned, which biases the locking member 24 into the locked position, pushing the first end 24A of the locking member 241 and therefore the tooth 241 upward, so as to hold the locking member in its active position (fig. 6).
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In the example shown in the drawings, the tooth 241 interferes with one of the gripping and orienting members 22, 23. More specifically, the tooth is configured to interfere with a slit 220 provided in the outer surface of the first gripping and orienting member 22 (figs. 5, 6 and 8). The slit 220, which acts as a locking element, is positioned at a predefined angle with respect to the longitudinal recess 22B that houses the clip 202 of the pen 200.
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In alternative embodiments, the locking element can entail a notch, a recess, a protrusion, since it is configured to receive or engage the locking member 24.
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In the example shown here, the slit 220 and longitudinal recess 22B are aligned, so that they practically form a single through aperture (figs. 5, 6 and 8). It can however be provided that the slit 220 and longitudinal recess 22B are spaced apart angularly.
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The carrier also comprises a guide 27 to guide a label and start its bending so that it is applied on the outer surface of the pen 200 properly (figs. 5 and 6). The guide is located on the upper surface of the carrier frame 21 of the carrier 20 and has an upper groove 27A with an arc shaped section which, when a pen 200 is gripped by the gripping and orienting members 22, 23, is substantially flush with its outer surface, with enough space to allow the passage of the label 101 (fig. 5, 9 and 10).
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To allow a correct advance of the carrier 20 along the transport direction A, the catenary 11 is equipped with a longitudinal guide 12 that extends along the entire catenary, on one side thereof (figs. 1, 9 and 10). To interact with this longitudinal guide 12, the carrier 20 is provided with a corresponding guide wheel 28 configured to engage the longitudinal guide 12 (figs. 5, 6, 9 and 10). The guide wheel 28 protrudes downward from the carrier frame 21 and has a rotation axis R2 orthogonal to the longitudinal axis L2 of the carrier frame 21. The longitudinal guide 12 is open at the top.
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The catenary 11 is also equipped with at least one cam element 13 positioned along the transport direction A and configured to move the locking member 24 from the locked position to the unlocked position while the carrier 20 advances. In this way, when an elongated article 200 is received by the carrier 20, a movement of the locking member 24 by the cam element 13 releases engagement with the locking member 220 to allow controlled rotation of the elongated article 200 about the rotation axis R for a subsequent operation, such as labelling.
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The operation occurs by pushing the wheel 244 toward the inside of the carrier 20 (that is, to the left in figs. 5, 6, 9 and 10). For this purpose, the cam element 13 has a lateral abutment surface 13A displaced toward the inside of the catenary 11 relative to the normal position of the wheel 244. The at least one cam element 13 is positioned in predefined positions where it is necessary to allow the free rotation of the pen 200 on itself.
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The catenary also comprises at least one pair of opening cams 14 configured to reciprocally space the gripping and orienting members 22, 23 apart, so as to free the pen 200. The opening cams each have a lateral abutment surface 14A displaced toward the outside of the catenary 11. To operate the opening of the gripping and orienting members 22, 23 the carrier comprises a corresponding pair of opening wheels 29, 30, which also protrude downward from the carrier frame 21 and are rotatable about a respective rotation axis R3, R4 orthogonal to the longitudinal axis L2 of the carrier frame 21 (figs. 5 and 6).
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The rotation axes R1, R2, R3, R4 of the wheel 244, the guide wheel 28 and the opening wheels 29, 30 are parallel to each other.
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The opening wheels 29, 30 are pivoted into the lower surface of the support bodies 25, 26 of the gripping and orienting members 22, 23. We must highlight that these support bodies 25, 26 are slidably mounted on the carrier frame 21, so as to be displaced along the longitudinal axis L2.
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In the absence of external stresses, the support bodies 25, 26 are kept close to the carrier frame 21, that is, in a position corresponding to a closed configuration of the gripping and orienting members 22, 23. For this reason, return members, in particular springs, are provided between the carrier frame 21 and the support bodies 25, 26, for example at their arms 25A, 26A.
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Each support body 25, 26 is provided with a respective rest member 31, 32 configured to rest on the advance means 11A. In the example shown, the rest members respectively provide a plate extending from the lower edge of the support body 25, 26 toward the outside of the carrier 20.
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Fig. 10 shows a labelling station 110, in which there is a carrier 20 carrying a pen 200. The labels 101 are dispensed sequentially at the station, as shown in the drawing. Furthermore, the cam element 13 is provided at the labelling station 110, configured to bring the locking member 24 of the carrier 20 into the unlocked position. This is to allow free rotation of the first gripping and orienting member 22, and therefore of the pen 200, so as to wrap a section thereof with a dispensed label 101.
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Just upstream of the labelling station 110 there is provided a control station 120 to check the pen 200. A control device 121, for example of a visual type, such as a video camera, is provided in this station. It is advantageous to provide a cam element 13 at the control station 120, so as to allow free rotation of the pen 200, as explained above, and thus inspect it over its entire circumference.
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The operation of the transport and orientation apparatus 10 described heretofore comprises the following steps.
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The carriers 20 are advanced automatically and stepwise along the transport direction A, from the end of the catenary 11 positioned on the left in fig. 1. The carriers 20 are empty until they pass through a pen feeding station 15, in which the pens 200 are fed one by one and each inserted into a respective carrier 20.
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Subsequently, the carriers 20 continue to advance along the transport direction A until they reach a control station 120 positioned just upstream of a labelling station 110. The wheel 244 of the locking member 24 of the carrier 20 engages against the cam element 13, which determines the displacement of the locking member 24 into the locked position, allowing free rotation of the gripping and orienting members 22, 23, and therefore of the pen 220.
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At this point, the carrier 20 is below the control device 121, or in any case in a zone where the control device 121 captures and can display the pen 200. The rotation of the first gripping and orienting member 22 is then commanded, by means of its motor, so as to make the pen 200 rotate on itself by 360° in order to check that its entire outer surface complies with expectations.
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At the end of this rotation it can also be provided to check, using the control device 121, that the pen 200 is in the correct orientation for the application of the label 101. During this orientation control step, the locking member 24 is kept in the locked position. The carrier is then advanced again and reaches the labelling station 110, where a label 101 is fed and applied (fig. 10). Preferentially, the correct, or predefined, orientation of the elongated article 200 corresponds to an angular position required to start a labeling operation.
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Since the cam element 13 is always present, the locking member 24 remains in the unlocked position. When the label 101 is fed, one end of its adhesive surface comes into contact with the surface of the pen 200. The rotation of the first gripping and orienting member 22 is commanded to rotate the pen 200 about the rotation axis R while performing the labeling operation, so that the label 101 is dragged into the rotation and progressively made to adhere to the outer surface of the pen 200. In particular, during the rotation of the pen 200, the label 101 passes between the pen 200 and the guide 27 flush therewith, which determines the progressive placement of the label 101 in contact with, and application thereof to, the pen 200.
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Subsequently, the pen 200, equipped with its own label 101, continues along the transport direction A until it reaches the other end of the catenary 11 where the opening cams 14 are provided, which determine the reciprocal spacing apart of the gripping and orienting members 22, 23, and therefore their opening, and the release of the pen 200 that can be picked up by another robot, or simply unloaded.
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The carrier 20 then passes into the return segment, in the part below the catenary 11, until it once again reaches the first end and resumes what described above.
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In one variant, it can be provided that the first gripping and orienting member 22 has more than one slit 220 which acts as a locking element. For example, three slits 220 can be provided, which can be distributed angularly.
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In another variant, wherein the pen 200 is equipped with a window 203, the locking member 24 can be configured to interact with such window 203. That is, when the locking member 24 is in the locked position, it interferes, with its tooth 241, directly with the window 203 of the pen 200, not with the slit 220 of the first gripping and orienting member 22. This slit 220 is therefore optional in this variant.
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It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the transport and orientation apparatus 10 and to the method as described heretofore, without thereby departing from the field and scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.
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It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art will be able to achieve other equivalent forms of apparatus for transporting elongated articles and labeling machine and corresponding method, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.
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In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate their reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection defined by the claims.