FR2735757A1 - DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING OBJECTS ON MOBILE MATS WITH ANTI-KICK AND / OR ANTI-SLIP GUIDING ELEMENT, AND USE THEREOF - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for transporting objects (12, 21) in an orderly manner, said objects being delivered by feed means (11). The device includes a first moving conveyor belt (13, 22) for conveying the objects from a receiving area to a discharge area, and an assembly (15, 23) for guiding and/or supporting said objects, said assembly being substantially parallel to the first conveyor belt (13, 22) at least in the region of said receiving area, and the spacing between the first conveyor belt and the guide assembly being substantially equal to one dimension of the objects. The guide assembly may be a second moving conveyor belt (15) or a guiding and supporting drum (23).

Description

 Device for transporting objects on a moving mat with anti-rebound and / or anti-slip guide element, and corresponding use.

 The field of the invention is that of transporting objects using mobile belts, or similar means of transport. More specifically, the invention relates to systems for transporting objects delivered at a speed lower than that of the moving belt and / or in free fall on the moving belt, for example by a unit for producing these objects or by a device for separation and / or orientation of objects previously received in bulk. The expression "delivered in free fall" must be understood in a broad sense, the height of fall can vary from a few meters to a few millimeters.

 The use of moving belts, such as treadmills, is very common, in any type of industry, and for the transport of all types of objects. The invention can be applied in most known situations.

 A major drawback of conveyor belts is that, when the objects to be transported are dropped in free fall, they tend to rebound on the conveyor, and can therefore change orientation, regroup or overlap, or even fall out of the carpet.

 A similar problem arises in particular when the speed of the conveyor is faster (4 m / s for example) than the speed of delivery of the objects (1 m / s for example).

This difference in speeds almost automatically causes a sliding, therefore a change of orientation, of the objects.

 In some cases, this may not be a problem. On the other hand, in many cases, this can disturb or hinder the treatment to be followed. This is particularly the case when the objects must undergo an analysis (radiation, image analysis, etc.), specific object-by-object processing, sorting (for example to separate good and bad objects, according to a criterion preset) and / or storage in a particular position.

 The invention particularly aims to overcome this drawback of the state of the art.

 More specifically, an objective of the invention is to provide a device for transporting objects on a moving belt limiting the rebounds of these objects, as well as the harmful effects of these rebounds.

 Another object of the invention is to provide such a device, avoiding or limiting the sliding of objects, when they are delivered at a speed different from that of the movable receiving belt.

 In particular, the invention aims to provide such a device capable of retaining the orientation of the objects received and / or the spacing formed between these objects.

 An object of the invention is, of course, to provide such a device which is simple to implement, and inexpensive. A particular objective of the invention is also to provide such a device, capable of ensuring the transport of inconvenient objects (that is to say in particular of objects which are more bulky than those normally transported) without deterioration or blockage of the device. .

 These objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved according to the invention by a device for the orderly transport of objects delivered by feeding means, of the type comprising a first movable conveyor belt, driving said said objects from a reception zone to a discharge zone, and further comprising means for guiding and / or holding said objects, extending substantially parallel to said first movable conveyor at least near said reception zone, the gap between said first movable belt and said guide element being substantially equal to one of the dimensions of said objects.

 Thus, the objects received are kept pressed against the first carpet. There is little or no bouncing or sliding, and the orientation of these objects is preserved.

 Advantageously, said guide means comprise a second movable belt.

 Preferably, said second moving belt is driven at the same speed as said first moving belt, with an opposite direction of rotation.

 In this case, it is advantageous that said first and second movable belts are set in motion by the same drive means, a gear ensuring the change of direction of rotation of the second belt.

 Indeed, the device is then very simple to implement, and no additional active drive element is necessary.

 Other embodiments can of course be envisaged. For example, the second mat can be mounted on idle wheels, and be driven by the friction of objects. We can also impose a speed significantly slower, or faster, than that of the first mat, for example to cause a controlled change in the orientation of objects.

 Advantageously, said guide means do not completely cover said receiving area, and at least said first movable conveyor is a flexible conveyor without floor, so as to allow the transport of unwanted objects of size larger than that of said objects.

 Indeed, the flexibility means that it deforms, without deterioration or blockage of the device. Of course, the unwanted items are eliminated later.

 According to an advantageous embodiment, said first movable belt and / or said second movable belt have on their surface cells or grooves provided for receiving said objects.

 In this case in particular, the movement of said second movable belt can be controlled so as to drive said objects towards said cells or said grooves. These reception areas allow, of course, to facilitate the location of objects for subsequent processing.

 According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said first movable belt is inclined relative to the horizontal.

 This allows in particular to absorb shocks on reception, and therefore rebounds.

 Preferably, said supply means and said first movable conveyor form an angle between 130 and 180 degrees.

 In other words, it is desirable to align the two parts of the device as much as possible.

 It should be noted that, advantageously, and unlike many known techniques, it can be provided that the supply means are strongly inclined, for example of the order of 70 "with respect to the horizontal.

 According to a second embodiment, said first moving belt is guided by at least three rollers defining a triangle, and said guiding and / or holding means comprise a drum whose periphery comes into contact with the upper part of said first moving belt, to give it a substantially curved shape, at least in the vicinity of said projection area.

 Advantageously, in this case, said drum has bulges (bumps for example) provided to provide sufficient space for the transport of said objects.

 This allows in particular to project the output objects, so as to sort them.

 The invention can be applied to many fields, and in particular, but not exclusively, to the transport of fruits, vegetables, grains or seeds, in particular beans, peas, seeds or corn grains.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example, and of the appended drawings in which:
- Figure 1 illustrates, schematically, a first device for
transport according to the present invention, with a straight carpet;
- Figure 2 illustrates another embodiment of the invention, carpet laid
shaped by holding drum;
- Figure 3 is an example of a honeycomb structure for the carpet of Figures 1
or 2.

 The embodiment described below can in particular apply, without being limiting, to the transport of fruits and vegetables.

 The complete processing chain generally includes a zone for receiving objects, delivered in bulk or supplied by a production unit, one or more transport devices, and a zone for processing, sorting and / or packaging.

 Figure 1 schematically illustrates part of such a chain, comprising a transport device according to the invention.

 A means 11 for delivering the objects delivers objects 12 onto the first mat 13. This means 11 may, depending on the case, be a simple guide means, or a means for separating the objects, if they are delivered in bulk. In this case, it may for example be a conventional vibrating support, or even a device as described in the joint patent application entitled "device for separating objects delivered in free fall, with movable elements of separation, and corresponding adjustment method ".

 Advantageously, if it is a separation device, the latter is strongly inclined, with an angle a of the order of at least 70, the objects then taking advantage of gravity to take (and keep) the desired orientation.

 The movable receiving belt 13 can also be inclined, so that it is practically in the same plane as the separation device, 12. The inclination can also be made in the width direction.

 The belt 13 is driven by two rollers 141, 142, one of which 141 is idle and the other 142 is set in motion by any suitable means.

 As indicated above, the invention provides a second movable belt 15 for guiding and holding. It is placed parallel to the carpet 13, and provides a space with the latter corresponding substantially to that of the objects 12 to be transported.

 Thus, the objects 12 are held between the two belts 13 and 15, and therefore retain their original orientation. The presence of the second mat prevents, or at the very least limits the effect of rebounds and slips.

 The belt 15 is of course driven in rotation in the opposite direction to that of the first belt 13. I1 is held by two rollers 161, 162. The roller 162 turns mad, and the roller 161 is set in motion at the same speed as the roller 141.

 Advantageously, a single motor means drives the rollers 141 and 161.

For example, each of the two rollers can be equipped with a toothed wheel having the same number of teeth and forming a gear (thus ensuring the drive and the change of direction of rotation).

 It is of course not compulsory that the two belts 13, 15 are moved at the same speed. Depending on needs and applications, different speeds can be applied. I1 suffices for example to modify the corresponding gear ratio.

 The transported objects 12 are deposited in, or on, a receiving element 19 which may include, for example, an analysis, processing, sorting and / or packaging unit.

 It should be noted that it is not compulsory for the second mat 15 to extend over the entire length of the first mat 13. From the moment the objects are immobilized (in height) and stabilized at speed of the carpet, it is no longer necessarily necessary. It is then possible to carry out an analysis (for example by camera) or a treatment on the moving objects on the uncovered part of the carpet 13.

 Advantageously, the rollers 142 and 162 are slightly offset, and the belts 13, 15 are floorless belts, which offers them a certain flexibility. Thus, they make it possible to ensure the transport of bulky inopportune objects 17, the belts deforming 18 momentarily if necessary, without affecting the transport of the other objects. Likewise, in this case, the rollers 141 and 161 must be offset.

 According to another embodiment, the second mat 112 can be mounted so as to be movable to let inopportune objects. I1 can for example rise slightly, parallel to the carpet 13, under the thrust of such an object, or tilt slightly around an axis, to facilitate passage through the rollers.

 The mat can also straighten up in its terminal part, either to distribute the objects in a vertical position, or to project them so as to perform a sorting, as described in the joint patent application entitled "sorting device objects, especially for the food industry, and corresponding process ".

 FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention, in which the objects 21 are transported by a movable belt 22 guided by at least three drive rollers 261, 262, 263 mounted in a triangle. Again, the projection area is designed so that the projection direction 24 allows the range of possible impact points to be extended.

 The guide and / or holding means comprise a drum 23, intended to hold the objects 21 along the carpet 22 up to the projection area. This drum 23 comes into contact with the upper part of the carpet 22, and imposes on it a curvature substantially identical to its own. So that the products 21 are not crushed by the drum 23, the latter has bulges 27 distributed in an adequate manner.

 It can rotate freely, and be driven by friction with the objects 21, or be driven at the same angular speed as the belt 22.

 Advantageously, the wheels 261, 263 for driving the belt 22 are offset relative to the drum 23, always to facilitate the passage of unwanted objects.

 Advantageously, the objects are delivered by an orientation and / or separation device as described in a second joint patent application entitled "device for separating objects delivered in free fall with movable separation elements, and corresponding adjustment method. ". This device comprises a plate 25, strongly inclined, and mounted so as to be substantially in the same plane as the start of the belt 22.

 Furthermore, and as illustrated in FIG. 3, the first belt 13, 22, and possibly the second belt 15, or the drum 23, have locations 31 provided for receiving the objects to be transported.

 In the example illustrated, these are notches 31, which may for example have the general shape of a half-sphere. This is particularly advantageous for the transport of light objects and / or likely to roll (for example balls, screws, nuts ...).

A particular example of use is the transport of corn kernels.

 This structure has several advantages. In particular, it reinforces the maintenance of orientation and spacing between objects. Furthermore, it facilitates their processing, whether it is a physical or chemical treatment, or an analysis by image processing (in this case, the identification of objects is much easier).

 The locations must of course be adapted to the objects to be transported. for example, in the case of green beans, it will be grooves.

 To facilitate the positioning of objects in these locations, a slight speed difference can be provided between the two belts. The friction will then drag the objects until they stall in the slots.

 The same technique can be applied in the case of objects having several distinct dimensions, so that they are all positioned in the same direction.

Claims (12)

1. Device for the ordered transport of objects (12, 21) delivered by supply means (11), of the type comprising a first movable conveyor belt (13, 22), driving said objects from a reception area towards a discharge zone, characterized in that it comprises means (15, 23) for guiding and / or holding said objects, extending substantially parallel to said first conveyor (12, 21) movable at least near said reception area, the distance between said first movable belt and said guide element being substantially equal to one of the dimensions of said objects. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said guide means comprise a second movable belt (15). 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said second movable belt (15) is driven at the same speed as said first movable belt (13), with an opposite direction of rotation. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said first and second movable belts (13, 15) are set in motion by the same drive means, a gear ensuring the change of direction of rotation of the second belt. 5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said guide means (15) do not completely cover said receiving zone, and in that at least said first movable belt (13) is a flexible mat without sole, so as to allow the transport of untimely objects (18) of size larger than that of said objects. 6. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said first movable belt and / or said second movable carpet have on their surface cells (31) or grooves provided for receiving said objects. 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the movement of said second movable belt (15) is controlled so as to drive said objects towards said cells or said grooves. 8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said first movable belt (13) is inclined relative to the horizontal. 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that said supply means (11) and said first movable belt form an angle between 130 and 180 degrees. 10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said first movable belt (22) is guided by at least three rollers (261, 262, 263) defining a triangle, and in that said means of guiding and / or holding comprises a drum (23) whose periphery comes into contact with the upper part of said first movable belt, to give it a substantially curved shape, at least in the vicinity of said projection zone. 11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that said drum (23) has bulges (27) provided to provide sufficient space for the transport of said objects. 12. Use of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 for the transport of fruits, vegetables, grains or seeds, in particular beans, peas, seeds or grains of corn.