ES2441350T3 - Procedure and device for product packaging - Google Patents

Abstract

Procedure for packaging flat products (1), in which products (1) are fed into a continuous product stream (2), in which, then, the different products (1) are stacked in an inclined plane (3) , in which the products (1), during the transition from the continuous product stream (2) to the inclined plane (3), are placed, for the formation of the product stack (3), from a horizontal position to a position in which they are disposed on one side, and in which the upper / lower product (1) is held in the inclined plane to drag in shape or force in an ejection position until an expulsion takes place, in which, below the plane inclined (3), empty trays (4) are approached, in each case the lower / upper product (1) being ejected from the product stack (5) by means of a sliding element (6) and inserted into the tray (4), the sliding element (6) coming into contact with the product (1) and det turning its movement, and, for the introduction, accelerating the product (1) together with the sliding element (6), and moving the tray (4) forward in each case step by step a path corresponding to the thickness of the product (1) .

Description

Procedure and device for product packaging

The invention relates to a method and a device for packaging products, especially food products such as cookies or similar products.

During the packaging of products and during the introduction of products in trays it is necessary to carefully treat the products so that they can be placed without being damaged. In addition, it is necessary to fill out

10 requires the trays configured in the form of open cavities, if necessary, with different subdivided compartments, to avoid overfilling or defective filling.

In the state of the art it is known to introduce sensitive products by hand into the trays. This way of proceeding is slow and expensive.

15 Document DE 19930368 A1 shows a method and a device for packaging flat products that are transported horizontally by means of a conveyor belt. At the end of the conveyor belt there is a tray that is oriented vertically or at a small angle to the horizontal to introduce products ejected by the tray vertically or horizontally into the different compartments of the tray.

20 conveyor belt The tray moves for loading to one side and another of the transport direction. In this way of proceeding, it is disadvantageous that the products are not placed as they are driven, but fall from the conveyor belt, resulting in both incorrect product orientations and excessive or defective filling of the tray compartments. .

From document DE 29802949 U1 it is known to take individual products by means of a suction head and introduce them individually in a foldable package. This procedure is only suitable for products that can be taken by the suction head and, in addition, it is characterized by reduced cycle times.

From GB 2124197 A a device for filling and completing batteries formed by

30 flat baked goods. The products are introduced by forming batteries in compartments of a conveyor belt. The patent application describes a refill station in which it is first checked whether the batteries are complete. If this is not the case, then, from an auxiliary battery powered by a sliding element, an adequate amount of one or more confectionery products is placed on the conveyor belt stack. For this purpose, a sliding element is provided that moves the products

35 arranged at the edge of a plane inclined to the conveyor belt.

EP 0324971 A1 shows the introduction of products from a conveyor belt successively in containers.

The invention is based on the objective of creating a method and a device for the packaging of products that, with a simple structure and a fully automatic mode of operation, are suitable for the packaging of the most diverse products in trays with short durations of cycles and a safe mode of operation.

According to the invention, the objective is achieved thanks to the combinations of features of the independent claims, the corresponding secondary claims showing other advantageous configurations of the invention.

Therefore, according to the invention, it is provided that products are transported in a continuous product stream. TO

Then, the products are stacked, stacking being carried out in an inclined or tilted plane so that it is possible to form piles of products in which the products are arranged on a lateral surface.

Below the flow of products and the transport device for the feeding of the products is arranged in each case at least one tray open upwards that is oriented so that it adapts to the

55 products According to the invention, rhythmically an active introduction of a product takes place in each case from the product stream by means of a sliding element. With this, the products are stacked intermediately in the product stack so that a minimally discontinuous supply of the products can be compensated by the product stream.

60 Thanks to the use of a sliding element, it is possible to actively introduce the products and distribute them in portions. In this sense, according to a preferred configuration of the invention, it is also possible to control the products individually in each case.

Therefore, according to the invention, it is possible to insert the different products in the corresponding tray 65.

According to the invention, the tray moves in each case step by step along the product stack so that the different products can be inserted into the tray either vertically parallel to each other or overlapping.

By means of the procedure according to the invention, it is possible to automatically introduce the products into the

5 trays Thanks to this, manual work is largely superfluous. A clear reduction in personnel costs is achieved. It is also possible to raise the hygiene standard. Depending on the dimensions and configuration of the different products, very long cycle times are achieved according to the invention, which cannot be carried out in case of manual introduction or partially manual packaging.

According to the invention, the different trays are fed from a tank by means of a tray feeding device. This can be arranged, allowing space savings, below the flow of products or the transport device for the products. However, it is also possible to automatically feed the trays from another location.

Another fundamental advantage of the solution according to the invention is that the device is configured so that at any time both a control and a manual intervention to remove defective products or trays that have been poorly filled are possible.

Thanks to the possibility, provided according to a preferred configuration of the invention, to expel the product, by means of a sliding element, outside the product stack, the possibility of active individualization and active introduction of the products is provided. In addition, the configuration according to the invention allows adaptation to different dimensions of the products or shapes of the products by exchanging the sliding element and minimizing adaptation of the device.

25 Therefore, the fed products are stored intermediate in the inclined plane forming a stack of products. In this case, the upper / lower product in each case is held in the ejection position by the weight of the product stack itself or by means of another device dragging force or shape, so that the product is ejected by means of the Sliding element and is deposited in the tray. This expulsion takes place without the danger of the product being damaged, as can be seen from the following detailed description.

According to the invention, it is possible to package both round and angular products, but also irregularly shaped products.

Thanks to the automation provided according to the invention, high quantities of products from the continuous product stream can be individualized and packaged, for example, 300 products per minute.

It is understood that, according to the invention, several packaging operations can be performed simultaneously next to each other if rows of products arranged next to each other are fed into the product stream and if the tray feeding device facilitates several rows of trays arranged some with others Therefore, according to the invention, one or more product streams can be processed in parallel with one another. The products can be deposited, by one or several sliding elements, in the corresponding compartments of the trays, the different sliding elements being able to move together by a single drive or by different drives in each case.

Thanks to the planned formation according to the invention of a product stack by placing the products from a continuous product stream in which the products are transported horizontally to a stacking position in which the products are arranged on a lateral surface or laterally and form a stack, it is possible to allow an introduction of the products in a vertical or inclined position in the trays. Such a load of the trays results for the consumer in a favorable disposition of the products that he can take and grasp in a comfortable and simple way.

In a particularly advantageous configuration of the invention, it is provided that the sliding element approaches the product and comes into contact with it. The sliding element is then accelerated together with the product. This prevents a collision of the sliding element with the surface of the product, thereby

55 product damage is avoided. For this, the sliding element is preferably operated by a servo control.

Next, the invention is described by an exemplary embodiment in relation to the drawing. In this sense, it shows:

Figure 1, a schematic partial representation of the process according to the invention and the solution according to the invention;

Figure 2, a partial perspective representation of a device according to the invention;

65 Figure 3, an enlarged representation analogous to Figure 2;

Figure 4, a top plan view of the arrangement according to Figures 2 and 3; Y

Figure 5, a diagram of the movement of the sliding element in which the path is shown as a function of time.

Figure 1 shows an inclined plane 3 which, for example, is inclined at an angle of 45 °. In this inclined plane, which, for example, can be configured in the form of a sliding plate, a product stream 2 is diverted to form a product stack 5. The product stack 5 serves both for the intermediate storage of a feed of products 1 not fully continuous as well as intermediate storage during the change from one tray 4 to the next tray.

The trays 4 are configured in the form of open cavities that can be further subdivided into their interior space to house the products 1 vertically or imbricated.

15 The different trays 4 are fed by means of a tray feeding device 9 which in figure 1 is only shown schematically. The tray feeding device 9 may comprise, for example, a synchronized conveyor belt.

From the representation of figure 1 it follows that both the inclined orientation of the inclined plane 3 and the tray feeding device 9 are provided parallel to each other so that the products 1 can be introduced directly and without changing position in the corresponding tray 4.

The product stack 5 comes into contact with a stopper element 11, which, thereby, serves as a support for the stack of

25 products 5. A sliding element 6 is arranged before the stopper element 11, whereby it is possible in each case to insert a product 1 into the tray 4. The tray 4 then slides further around a product thickness, for example, a cookie thickness, by means of the tray feeding device 9.

Figures 2 to 4 show, in a simplified perspective representation, a configuration of a device according to the invention.

According to the invention, several product paths 1 are arranged next to each other to continuously transport the products 1 by means of a transport device 7. In this sense, a current is achieved

35 of product 2, shown schematically in figure 3. The products are conducted in an inclined plane 3 and, in this case, they are tipped over or placed so that the product stack 5 shown in figure 1 is obtained. In the case of the device shown in Figures 2 to 4, several stacks of such products 5 are arranged next to each other. Therefore, the products 1 are fed to an inverting and stacking device 8 in which the products are stacked as shown in Figure 1.

Figures 2 and 3 also show individual sliding elements 6 that can be operated in each case by means of their own servo-control 10, so that an approach to the product occurs, a stop to the contact with the product and a subsequent acceleration for the sliding of the product inside the tray.

45 Figure 5 shows in detail the movement path of the sliding element 6. The sliding element approaches the product 1 so that it hits its edge with a very reduced speed or comes into contact with the product edge without relative speed. Figure 5 then shows the product ejection movement processes by means of the sliding element. The sliding element accelerates in an acceleration phase. Since the sliding element 6 comes into contact with the product 1, similarly to this, the product 1 is also accelerated. The acceleration takes place up to a maximum speed and then goes into a braking phase. With this, a movement takes place. accelerated product 1 and a subsequent harmonic transition to a deceleration phase to gently deposit the product in the tray. Upon reaching the final position of the sliding element, it separates from product 1 and moves again, with a maximum return speed, to its starting position. This movement process is shown in the figure

55 5. From the starting position, the sliding element 6 then approaches the next product 1 again, so that the movement process shown in Figure 5 can take place again.

The servo control 10 of the corresponding sliding element may be pneumatically configured, but it is also possible to use a servo motor, preferably a linear motor. It may also be appropriate to provide one or more cam discs. With this, it is possible, according to the invention, to carry out very high amounts of cycles and, at the same time, to obtain the maximum possible care of the product to avoid damage.

In addition, the figures show a tray feeding device 9 that is arranged below the transport device 7 for products 1 and comprises a synchronized conveyor belt that can be

65 arranged in parallel or inclined with respect to the inclined plane 3. Figure 2 shows a non-parallel arrangement, while figures 3 and 4 show in each case a fundamentally parallel orientation.

As soon as the tray is arranged below the product stack 5, as shown in Figure 1, the sliding element 6 begins with the individualization of the products and moves the first product 1 to the tray 4. If this process is finished and the sliding element 6 has returned again, then the 5 product stack 5 automatically slides the thickness of a product 1 on the inclined plane 3 in the direction of the stopper element 11. At the same time, the tray 4 is made advance, by means of the tray feeding device, the width of a product, so that the ejection process is repeated by means of the sliding element. This cycle ends as soon as tray 4 is filled with the nominal amount of product filling 1. Without interruptions, the filling of the next tray 4 begins so that time is avoided and,

10 according to the invention, high cycle times can be performed.

The full tray is then transported out through a tray outlet 12 and is additionally packed.

Accordingly, according to the invention, a compact structure of the device is achieved that allows good accessibility and easy cleaning. In particular, thanks to the good accessibility to the reversing and stacking device 8 and the sliding elements 6, short equipment times can be made. Despite the high number of cycles, it is possible to manually intervene in the product stream and, if necessary, correct faults.

List of reference numbers

1 Product

25 2 Product stream

3 Inclined plane

4 Tray

30 5 Product stack

6 Sliding Element

35 7 Transport device

8 Reversing and stacking device

9 Tray feeding device

40 10 Servomando

11 Stopper element

45 12 Tray output

Claims (5)

1. Procedure for the packaging of flat products (1), in which products (1) are fed into a continuous product stream (2), in which the different products (1) are then stacked in a flat 5 inclined (3), in which the products (1), during the transition from the continuous product stream (2) to the inclined plane (3), are placed, for the formation of the product stack (3), of a horizontal position to a position in which they are arranged on one side, and in which the upper / lower product (1) is held in the inclined plane in drag or form in an ejection position until an expulsion takes place , in which, below the inclined plane (3), empty trays (4) are approached, the lower product (1) being ejected in each case / 10 of the stack of products (5) by means of a sliding element (6) and entering the tray (4), the sliding element (6) coming into contact with the product (1) and stopping its movement, and, for introduction, accelerating the product (1) together with the sliding element (6), and moving the tray (4) forward in each case step by step a path corresponding to the thickness of the product (1). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the products (1) are introduced into the tray (4) vertically or imbricated. 3. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the tray (4) to be filled is feeds with the same inclination as the inclined plane (3) and is supported during filling. twenty 4. Device for packaging flat products (1) according to the method of one of claims 1 to 3, with a transport device (7) for continuous feeding of products (1) in a horizontal position with an inversion device and stacking (8) for the arrangement of the products (1) forming a stack of products with the products arranged on one side, with a sliding element (6) for moving a product (1) out of the stack of products of the inversion and stacking device (8) to a tray (4) arranged below the inverting and stacking device (8), the sliding element (6) being able to be operated by means of a servo control (10) so that the element of sliding (6) comes into contact with the product (1) and its movement stops and, for introduction, the product (1) is accelerated together with the sliding element (6), as well as with a tray feeding device (9) that is arranged below the device 30 reversing and stacking (8) and is configured for feeding and for step-by-step pan movement (4) during the piece-by-piece introduction of the products (1). 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the inverting and stacking device (8) as well as the Tray feeding device (9) are arranged inclined, at least in the area where they are contiguous with each other. Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that several product streams (8) parallel to each other are provided with one or more sliding elements (6) that are provided for the introduction of products (1) in trays ( 4) fed together or in trays (4) with several 40 compartments configured next to each other, and are equipped with a common drive or own drives in each case.