FR2706789A1 - Method and installation for supporting different types of packages, in particular hollow plastic packages - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to sort packages of different types, in particular rigid and semi-rigid hollow plastic packages, the tips (7) of needles (4) are made to act on the packages (1) at a specific temperature and with a specific force so that, depending on the different types of packages, each of the said tips (7) either perforates or does not perforate a package which is thus either impaled and held in this position on the body of at least one needle (4), or is not impaled, and the different types of packages (1) are separated depending on whether they are or are not impaled on the said needles (4).

Description

Method and installation for sorting packaging of different natures, in particular hollow plastic packaging.

 The present invention relates to a method and an installation for sorting packaging of different natures, in particular rigid and semi-rigid hollow packaging made of plastics.

 The complete or at least partial recycling of waste, in particular household waste, involves a preliminary sorting to separate from each other waste of different natures which can then, at least in part, undergo selective recycling.

 A first preliminary sorting can advantageously be carried out at the household level during the introduction of the waste into the bins, between biodegradable waste recyclable for example by composting, and non-biodegradable waste such as glass, metals, plastics, in particular packaging. hollow, paper and cardboard.

 There are already sorting techniques which make it possible to separate, for example, flat and flexible packaging (plastic films, papers, light cardboard), for example by aeraulic or aeromechanical sorting, glass by mechanical or aeraulic sorting, scrap by magnetic sorting, l by sorting by eddy currents. Following these sorts, there remains, among the non-biodegradable household waste, essentially only hollow plastic packaging which can however be of various natures and thicknesses. We thus find, for example, transparent semi-rigid packaging in PVC of 2/10 mm, rigid rigid packaging in PVC of 4/10 mm, bottles of still water or oil in PVC of 3 / 10 mm, translucent PVC milk bottles from 2.5 to 5/10 mm, high density polyethylene milk bottles from 3.5 to 4/10 mm, sparkling water bottles from organic PVC -oriented from 4 to 5.5 / 10 mm, bottles of high density polyethylene cleaning products with a thickness of 6.5 to 10/10 mm, soda bottles and some oil bottles in poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) from 3 to 4/10 mm, and rigid bottles, shampoo bottles etc. made of high density polyethylene with a thickness of 10 to 11/10 mm.

 Tests have surprisingly demonstrated that these different packages have sufficiently different behaviors to the action of spikes acting at predetermined temperatures and with predetermined forces and for predetermined durations on the packages so that these different behaviors can be considered as constituting distinctive signatures of these different packages and can be used for sorting them.

 The invention relates to a method and an installation for sorting packaging of different types, in particular hollow plastic packaging, on the basis of this finding.

 According to the process according to the invention for sorting packages of different natures, the needle tips are made to act at a predetermined temperature and with a predetermined force on the packages so that, depending on the nature of the different packages, each of said tips perforates or not a package which is thus impaled and maintained impaled or not on the body of at least one needle, and the packages of different natures are separated according to whether or not they are impaled on said needles.

 According to a first embodiment of the method according to the invention, the packaging of a type, impaled on said needles, is selectively removed from other packaging not impaled on - the needles.

 In the context of the invention, the tips of the needles can also be made to act for a predetermined period on the packaging.

 To selectively remove, from packaging of different natures, at least two different types of packaging, a first series of needle tips can be made to act successively with a first predetermined temperature / force pair and for a first predetermined duration on the packaging and remove using these first needles the impaled and kept impaled packaging on the bodies of these first needles, then act at least a second series of needle tips with a second predetermined temperature / force couple, different from the first couple, and for a second predetermined period, on the remaining packages and remove, using these second needles, the packages impaled and kept impaled on the bodies of these second needles.

 According to a second embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is possible, in a first sequence, to act on the needle tips with a first predetermined temperature / force pair for a first predetermined duration on the packages, and to detect the needles and neutralize in the impaling position the needles on the bodies of which packages are thus impaled. We can then in at least a second sequence, act on the needle tips at least with a second predetermined temperature / force pair, different from the first, for a second predetermined period, on the remaining packages, and detect and neutralize in position impaling the needles on the bodies of which packages are thus impaled. Is then removed simultaneously, possibly remaining packaging, all packaging thus impaled and kept impaled on needles.

Finally, the packages of different types, thus impaled successively, are separated, sequentially releasing the packages impaled during the different sequences.

 According to a variant of this second embodiment of the method according to the invention, the needle tips are made to act on the packages at temperatures increasing gradually and with a force gradually increasing. The force / temperature / time response curve is recorded for each needle, until a package is impaled on this needle, and this response curve is compared with predetermined reference curves for packages of different natures. The needles are neutralized in the impaling position, on the bodies of which the packages are thus impaled. Is then removed simultaneously, possibly remaining packaging, all packaging thus impaled and kept impaled on needles. Finally, the packages of different types, thus impaled successively, are separated, sequentially disengaging the impaled packages from the needles, in an order which is a function of their order of impaling.

 Preferably, the packages of needles are released sequentially in the reverse order of their impaling on the needles during different sequences.

 The installation according to the invention for sorting packaging of different natures comprises at least one support surface for the packaging to be sorted. It also comprises at least one needle holder mounted above the support surface. It also includes needles mounted movable along their axes on said support so that their points are turned towards the support surface. It further comprises means for moving back and forth to bring the tips of the needles closer to the support surface, and to move them away from it. It further comprises pushing and withdrawing means for urging the needles, with respect to the needle holder, with a determined force towards the support surface, and withdrawing them. Finally, it includes heating means for bringing the tips of the needles to a determined temperature.

 According to a first embodiment, the needle holder is a cylinder or drum, in which case the reciprocating means are constituted by the means for driving the cylinder in rotation.

 According to a second embodiment, the needle support - is a flat support and the reciprocating means are constituted by translation means acting on the support surface or on the needle support.

 In the first case, the pushing means can be constituted by springs and the withdrawal means by cams, while in the second case, the pushing and withdrawal means are advantageously constituted by fluid jacks, one jack being associated with each needle.

 In the first case, to selectively remove from a mixture of packaging several kinds of packaging having different signatures, several successive installations are used on which the tips of the needles are heated to different temperatures and / or on which the means of pushing of the needles urge the latter with different forces, each of these installations thus removing one type of packaging.

 In the second case, it is possible to remove, with the same installation, in the same cycle, selectively packages having different signatures.

 Such an installation can include a source of fluid common to all the jacks, and a command making it possible to sequentially increase the pressure of the fluid sent to the jacks in the direction of thrust as well as the temperature of the tips of the needles, to detect and memorize the needles which, at each sequence, perforate packaging, and to order, at the end of the cycle, a reverse supply of fluid to the cylinders, in the direction of withdrawal of the needles, in an order which is a function of the order in which the needle tips punctured the packaging.

 According to a variant, such an installation may comprise a source of fluid common to all the jacks, and a control making it possible to continuously increase the pressure of fluid sent to the jacks in the direction of thrust and the temperature of the tips of the needles. , to detect for each needle the temperature / force / time curve until a package is impaled on the needle, to compare this response curve with predetermined reference curves and to order, at the end of the cycle, a reverse supply of fluid to the cylinders, in the direction of withdrawal of the needles, in an order which depends on the order in which the tips of the needles have perforated packages.

 According to a particularly preferred embodiment, making it possible to assign a perfectly distinctive signature to each type of packaging, the tips of the needles comprise several successive sections of increasing section, so that the signature of perforation of a packaging by such a tip gives a penetration diagram comprising a sequence of several curve elements with more or less marked bearings and more or less different shapes.

Referring to the appended schematic drawings, an illustrative and nonlimiting embodiment of a sorting installation according to the invention will be described below in more detail; on the drawings:
FIG. 1 schematically represents the impale portion of a sorting installation, during a packaging impale cycle;
FIG. 2 represents a needle point with several successive sections of increasing section;
Figures 3a to 3f show typical signatures of several packages of different natures and thicknesses, obtained using a point according to Figure 2;
Figures 4 and 5 are two schematic views, one in side elevation, the other in front elevation, of the assembly of a sorting installation according to the invention, in the position corresponding to the start of a cycle sorting;
Figure 6 to 9 are views similar to those of Figure 4, showing this same installation during subsequent phases of a sorting cycle.

Figure 1 is a diagram for better understanding the method according to the present invention. In this figure, packaging
I made of plastic, which may be of various natures and thicknesses, are arranged in a non-oriented manner, but in a layer, on a tray 2.

 Above the plate 2 is installed a needle holder 3 - which carries a multitude of needles 4 movable vertically under the action of jacks 5, a jack 5 being associated with each needle 4.

 A retaining plate 6 is also installed at a distance below the needle support 3, the plate 6 comprising a multitude of holes aligned with the needles 4.

 The point 7 of the needles can be carried by heating means, not shown, to a well-determined temperature.

 Under the action of the jacks 5 supplied with fluid under a determined pressure, the needles 4 are lowered with a predetermined force in the direction of the plate 2, to an extreme position in which the points 7 stop at a distance above of the tray 2 which is less than the minimum vertical dimension of the packages 1 located on the tray 2. When the tip 7 of a needle 4 encounters a package 1 before reaching this extreme position, the tip 7 exerts on this package 1, under the combined action of its temperature and the pushing force of its jack 5, a "thermo-punching" effect under which the packaging 1, depending on its nature and thickness, may or may not be punctured by the tip 7 of needle 4, and is thus impaled or not on the body of needle 4.

 In Figure 1, it is clearly recognized that some of the packages 1 have been perforated by the tips 7 of certain needles 4 and are impaled and kept impaled on the needles 4 in question whose body is not heated, while other packages 1 have not been perforated under the combined action of the temperature and the force of the needle tips acting on them.

 It is therefore possible, in this surprisingly simple way, to distinguish packaging of a type, which can be marked by needle tips brought to a determined temperature exerting a determined thrust, from packaging from one or more others types which cannot be punched under the same conditions.

 In other words, it is possible in this way to extract from a mixture of packaging of various types the packaging of a particular type which can be punched under the action of a determined temperature / force couple, insufficient for punching packaging of other types.

 By proceeding successively, on the same installation or on successive installations, with several thermopunching cycles with increasing temperature / force couples, it is possible to identify packages of several types and to separate them selectively from one another.

 In certain cases, this identification by the sole criterion of thermo-punching under the effect of a determined temperature / force couple may prove to be insufficient, these "simple" signatures being sometimes too close to each other to establish a sufficient distinction between different types of packaging.

 This is particularly the case for polyethylene packaging, of which there is a wide variety and some of which have a simple thermopunching signature fairly close to the corresponding signatures of PVC packaging (for example still water bottles) or organic PVC packaging. -oriented (sparkling water bottles).

 To refine the signatures of the different types of packaging and thus allow a more precise identification of these different types of packaging, it is provided, according to the invention, to use, for the heat-punching operations, needles 4 whose tips 7 heated have, according to FIG. 2, several successive sections 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d of increasing section from the free end of the tip 7 to the unheated body of the needle 4.

Punching using a needle 4 comprising such a stepped point 7 gives, on packages of different natures, perfectly identifiable and distinctive signatures, as it appears in FIGS. 3a to 3f which show the impale signatures (force / temperature couple as a function of time) respectively for PVC bottles, low density high density polyethylene bottles, medium thickness high density polyethylene bottles,
Bi-oriented PVC, high density polyethylene bottles of high thickness and PET bottles.

 These signatures include a first section with a first part which corresponds to the phase between the approaching of the tips against the packaging and the punching of the packaging by the first section of the tip, this part being more or less horizontal depending on whether the packaging is rigid or flexible, and a second part which corresponds to the phase following docking and whose shape reflects the reaction of the packaging to the combined temperature / force effect.

 The other sections of the signature which, depending on the nature of the packaging, may have curved shapes or stepped shapes, more or less pronounced, and succeeding each other more or less quickly, complete the first information of temperature and strength to arrive at clear differentiations allowing identification of the different packages without risk of confusion.

 Figures 4 to 9 illustrate a sorting installation according to the invention for hollow plastic packaging, during the various stages of operation of this installation.

 This installation comprises a needle support 3 carrying needles 4 maneuvered by jacks 5, the support 3 being installed in a fixed position at the upper end of a vertical guide cage 8 in which a frame 9 is mounted movable vertically in back and forth under the action of means not shown, for example four cylinders. The cage 9 serves as a guide to an endless conveyor 10 with step-by-step advance which, as shown above in FIG. 5, comprises two cables 1 1 and plates 12 fixed at intervals to the cables 11. The cables 1 1 each pass over two idler pulleys 13 and, between these two pulleys, are guided on the frame 9 whose height is greater than the diameter of the pulleys 13, so that the two strands of each cable -10 are further apart one on the other at the place of the frame 9 than at the place of the two pulleys 13.

 A feed conveyor 14 is installed above the upper strand of the conveyor 10, between the cage 8 and the pulleys 13 located on one side of the cage 8.

 The lower end of the cage 8 opens into a hopper 15 surmounting a dispensing spout 16 orientable on four discharge conveyors 17a to 17d (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

 At the start of the sorting cycle, according to FIGS. 4 and 5, the needles 4 are raised under the action of the jacks 5, the frame 9 is in the low position in the cage 8, so that the upper strand of the conveyor 10 is horizontal, no tray 12 is located in the cage 8 and the dispensing spout 17 is oriented on the conveyor 17a. From this position, the conveyor 10 is advanced by one step in the direction of the arrow indicated in FIG. 4, so that a tray 12 loaded with packages 1 to be sorted is positioned in the cage 8, and that another plate 12 is placed below the feed conveyor 14 and, by starting the latter, is loaded in packages 1 by this conveyor. The frame 9 is then mounted in the cage 8 which brings the plate 12 contained in the cage 8 below the needle holder 3, according to FIG. 6.

 By actuating the jacks 5, the needles 4 are then lowered so that the points of the latter accost the packages 1 located on the plate 12 in position in the cage 8 and subject the packages 1 to a heat-punching effect, the packages 1 being impaled on the needles 4 as they are punched by the needles, as a function of their constituent materials, as shown in FIG. 7.

 When the thermo-punching cycle of the packages 1 is finished, the frame 9 is lowered in the cage 8, which brings about the descent of the tray 12 contained in the cage 8, the impaled packages 1 remaining impaled on the needles 4. After descent of the tray 12, the conveyor 10 is advanced by one step so that the plate 12 is released from the cage 8, as shown in FIG. 8.

 We then proceed to the sequential withdrawal of the needles 4 to release the packages 1, as a function of their constituent materials, selectively by the needles 4, by a sequential upward movement of the latter. The packages 1 released in each sequence fall through the cage 8 into the hopper 15 and are distributed here by the spout 16 which can be successively orientated on the evacuation conveyors 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, as shown in FIG. 9.

 At the end of the cycle, when all the needles 4 have been removed, and all the previously impaled packages have been selectively released and selectively distributed on the evacuation conveyors 17a to 17d, the dispensing spout 16 is returned to the evacuation conveyor 17a, so that the installation returns to the cycle start position according to FIGS. 4 and 5, and that a new sorting cycle can begin.

 It goes without saying that the embodiment shown and described has been given only by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example and that numerous modifications and variants are possible within the scope of the invention.

 Thus, instead of using a flat needle holder and providing fluid cylinders to move the needles relative to the needle holder, it would be possible to mount the needles radially on a cylinder or drum mounted movable in rotation at - above a conveyor belt serving as a support surface for the packages, and pushing the needles radially outwards by calibrated springs and withdrawing them radially inwards by fixed cams when the needles reach a predetermined angular position .

Thus, the rotation movement of the drum automatically causes a predetermined thrust on the needles by the springs, for the packaging of a type of packaging, and the withdrawal of the needles by the cams for the release of the packaging as well. impaled.

 By making the needles of several successive drums act on the same package flow, with several temperature / force pairs, the needle tips of several successive drums, it would be possible to selectively withdraw packages of different types from a package flow successively. since the "simple" signatures of these packages are sufficiently distinctive.

 Similarly, it would be possible to successively remove packages of different natures using several successive installations according to FIG. 1 acting successively on a flow of packaging, the needles of successive installations acting with increasing force / temperature pairs on packaging, so that each installation selectively removes one type of packaging.

 Finally, the installation according to FIGS. 4 to 9 could be replaced by an installation of different structure, but making it possible to selectively remove several types of packaging of different natures.

Claims (13)

 1. A method of sorting packaging of different natures, in particular rigid and semi-rigid hollow plastic packaging, characterized in that the needle tips are made to act at a predetermined temperature and with a predetermined force on the packages so that, depending on the nature of the different packages, each of the said points pierces or not a package which is thus impaled and maintained impaled or not impaled on the body of at least one needle, and the packages of different natures are separated according to whether they are impaled or not on said needles.  2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that selectively removes the packaging of a type, impaled on said needles, from other packaging not impaled on the needles.  3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the tips of the needles are made to act for a predetermined period on the packaging.  4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that a first series of needle tips is made to act successively with a first predetermined temperature / force pair and for a predetermined period on the packages and is removed using these first needles, the packages impaled and kept impaled on the bodies of these first needles, then at least a second series of needle tips is made to act with a second predetermined temperature / force pair, different from the first, and for a second duration predetermined, on the remaining packaging and removes using these second needles the impaled and maintained packaging impaled on the bodies of these second needles.  5. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the needles are made to act, in a first sequence, with a first predetermined temperature / force pair for a first predetermined duration on the packages, and detects the needles and neutralizes the needles on the impaling position on the bodies of which the packages are thus impaled, then the needles tips are made to act, in at least a second sequence, at least with a second, predetermined, different temperature / force pair of the first, for a second predetermined period, on the remaining packages and detects and neutralizes in the impaling position the needles on the bodies of which packages are thus impaled, simultaneously removing, possibly remaining packages, all the packages thus impaled and kept impaled on needles, and the different types of packaging are separated, thus mpalées successively, by sequentially releasing needles from the packages impaled during the different sequences.  6. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the tips of needles are made to act on the packages at temperatures-progressively increasing and with a gradually increasing force, for each needle is recorded up to impalation of a package on this needle, the force / temperature / time response curve and this response curve is compared to predetermined reference curves for packages of different types, the needles are neutralized in the position of impaling on the bodies from which the packages are thus impaled, all the packages thus impaled and kept impaled on needles are removed simultaneously from any packages thus impaled, and the packages of different natures thus impaled are separated successively, sequentially removing needles from the impaled packages, in an order which is a function of their impaling order.  7. Method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the packages of needles are released sequentially in the reverse order of their impaling on the needles.  8. Sorting facility for packaging of different types, characterized in that it comprises:  at least one support surface (2; 12) of the packages (1) to be sorted,  at least one needle holder (3) mounted above the support surface (2; 12),  needles (4) mounted movable along their axes on said support so that their points (7) are turned towards the support surface;  means for moving back and forth to bring the points (7) of the needles (4) closer to the support surface (2; 12), and to move them away from it,  pushing and withdrawing means (5) for urging the needles (4), with respect to the needle support (3), with a predetermined force towards the support surface, and withdrawing them, and  heating means for bringing the tips of the needles to a determined temperature.  9. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the pushing and withdrawal means are constituted by fluid cylinders (5), a cylinder being associated with each needle (4),  10. Installation according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that it comprises several successive needle supports on which the tips of the needles are heated to different temperatures and / or on which the means for pushing the needles urge the latter with different strengths.  11. Installation according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a source of fluid common to all the jacks, and a control making it possible to sequentially increase the pressure of the fluid sent to the jacks as well as the temperature of the tips of the needles, to detect and memorize the needles which, at each sequence, perforate packaging, and to order at the end of the cycle, the reverse supply of fluid to the jacks in the direction of withdrawal of the needles, in an order which is a function of the 'order in which the needle tips punctured the packages.  12. Installation according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a source of fluid common to all the jacks, and a control making it possible to continuously increase the pressure of fluid sent to the jacks in the direction of thrust and the temperature of the tips of the needles, to detect the temperature / force / time curve for each needle until a package is impaled on the needle, to compare this response curve with predetermined reference curves and to order, by end of the cycle, a reverse supply of fluid to the cylinders, in the direction of withdrawal of the needles, in an order which is a function of the order in which the needle tips perforated the packages.  13. Installation according to claim 12, characterized in that the points (7) of the needles (4) comprise several successive sections (7a to 7d) of increasing section.