FR3081852A1 - TIPPING DEVICE FOR WIDE TILT ANGLE RECEPTACLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a tilting device (1) for a receptacle comprising: - a fixed frame (2, 21, 22); - a movable frame (3) intended to receive said receptacle and comprising a floor (33) on which a bottom of said receptacle rests; - A rotation shaft (5) of axis L connects the fixed chassis (2, 22) to the mobile chassis (3). According to the invention, the rotation shaft (5) is arranged above the floor (33) and mounted so as to be able to rotate about the axis L allowing the mobile frame (3) to tilt relative to the fixed frame (2 ).

Description

TIPPING DEVICE FOR A WIDE TILT ANGLE RECEPTACLE

The invention relates to a tilting device for discharging a receptacle. For example, the receptacle is used in the bottling industry and contains packaging parts such as caps, preforms or plastic containers.

In the bottling field, before arriving at an assembly station, various elementary parts for forming a bottle such as stoppers, preforms or even containers obtained from the preforms, are transported by a distribution circuit. The latter includes storage tanks, conveyors conveying these parts from a feeding station to the assembly station via cleaning and sterilization zones.

Generally, these parts are stored in receptacles, for example in cardboard. These receptacles are unloaded at the feeding station so that the parts are distributed in the distribution circuit.

The emptying of the receptacles is carried out manually by operators with or without mechanical assistance. These lift the receptacle and tilt it so that the stored parts exit the receptacle and land on a conveyor belt or in another storage tank by the effect of gravity. Such manipulations require a fairly considerable effort on the part of the operator, especially since the size and weight of the receptacles are important.

Emptying the receptacles manually therefore poses potential risks of injury, and industrial accident and / or occupational disease, for example back pain.

In order to reduce these risks, a tilting device that takes care of emptying the receptacles is installed at the feeding station. This tilting device comprises a fixed lower chassis, fixed to the ground, and a mobile platform mounted on the fixed lower chassis. The platform is articulated relative to the fixed lower chassis around an axis of rotation like a hinge.

The tilting device further comprises a hydraulic cylinder installed between the fixed lower chassis and the mobile platform. A movable rod of the hydraulic cylinder is fixed to a lower face of the platform, facing the ground.

The operator lifts the receptacle to be emptied to the same level of the platform and moves it on the platform, in particular using a forklift. The operator then actuates the hydraulic cylinder so that the movable rod extends upward and lifts the rear of the platform. This leans towards the conveyor or the storage tank. The receptacle, positioned on the platform, is thus inclined and the stored parts leave the receptacle.

However, since the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder has a displacement threshold, the inclination of the platform is limited. In some tilting devices, the tilt angle of the platform is limited to 20 ° maximum. This small tilt angle does not allow the receptacle to be completely emptied. When the cylinder reaches the displacement threshold, the operator must intervene by tilting the receptacle further so as to bring out all the parts.

This tilting device therefore does not completely replace the operator who must still intervene to completely empty the receptacles.

Therefore, despite the use of the tilting device, the risk that an operator is injured or that he is exposed to an effort leading to an occupational disease is always present.

Thus, one of the objectives of the invention is to propose a tilting device making it possible to dispense with manual intervention for emptying the receptacles, which reduces, or even eliminates the risk of injury or illness of the operator during this emptying step.

With this objective in view, the invention relates to a tilting device for receptacle comprising:

- a fixed chassis;

- a movable frame intended to receive said receptacle and comprising a floor on which a bottom of said receptacle is supported;

- an axis L rotation shaft connects the fixed chassis to the mobile chassis.

According to the invention, the rotation shaft is disposed above the floor and mounted to move in rotation about the axis L allowing the mobile frame to tilt relative to the fixed frame.

Thus, thanks to the invention, the tilting of the mobile chassis is not limited because the rotation shaft, by turning on itself, theoretically has no limit of rotation threshold.

Consequently, the rotation shaft can rotate so that the movable chassis is inclined beyond 90 ° relative to the horizontal, for example 135 °. At this angle of inclination, the receptacle, housed in the movable chassis, is almost inverted: the receptacle opening is now located at the bottom and the bottom at the top. Therefore, all parts are forced out of the receptacle by the effect of gravity.

The rotation shaft thus allows the mobile chassis to tilt so as to completely empty the receptacle without the need for operator intervention at the end of the tilting, which is not the case with a conventional tilting device. fitted with a hydraulic cylinder.

The tilting device according to the invention replaces manipulations carried out by the operator and therefore makes it possible to minimize the effort of the operator during the dumping phase. This reduces or even eliminates any risk of accident or occupational disease.

Furthermore, the fact that the rotation shaft is arranged above the floor of the mobile chassis reduces the span of the mobile chassis during tilting. This makes it possible to reduce the safety distance between the tilting device and the device receiving the parts contained in the receptacle, for example the conveyor. Note that the safety distance is the distance to be respected in order to avoid any collision between the mobile chassis and the device receiving the parts of the receptacle. Thus, the tilting device according to the invention can be installed both in a large space and in a tight or narrow space.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the movable frame has a height h and in that the rotation shaft is arranged at a level corresponding to a mid-height h / 2 of said movable frame. This location of the rotation shaft is located approximately at the same level as that of the center of gravity of the receptacle assembly and the movable chassis. In this way, little effort is required to actuate the rotation shaft carrying the entire movable chassis and the receptacle.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the tilting device comprises a drive motor actuating the rotation shaft. Thus, the tilting of the mobile chassis is automated. The operator simply needs to run the engine, for example by pressing a start button to tilt the movable chassis.

According to the previous paragraph, the drive motor is mounted on the rotation shaft. This location of the motor makes it possible to remove connection cables or drive elements which could possibly exist in the event that the motor is moved away from the rotation shaft.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the mobile chassis comprises holding means intended to retain a receptacle with said mobile chassis. This avoids any risk of displacement of the receptacle outside the movable frame during the tilting thereof.

According to the preceding paragraph, the holding means comprise two jacks arranged opposite one another and movable in a transverse direction parallel to the axis L of the rotation shaft and in two opposite directions. In this way, the jacks can approach or move away from one another to adapt to the transverse dimensions, in particular to the width of the receptacle so as to tighten the latter well.

According to the previous paragraph, the jacks are movable in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the axis L of the rotation shaft and in the same direction. Thus, the jacks can also adapt to the height of the receptacle. The cylinders can therefore be adjusted to hold the receptacles of different sizes.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the movable chassis is moved between an initial position and an inclined tilting position. In addition, the tilting device comprises an end of travel stop in the initial position. In fact, when the mobile chassis returns to its initial position, it tends to pitch at the end of the travel by the inertia of rotation. The stop therefore eliminates this rocking and stops the movement of the mobile chassis.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the movable chassis comprises a vibrator. Thus, the vibrator can be actuated when the mobile chassis is in the tilted tilting position. This shakes the entire movable frame and the receptacle and makes it easier to lower the parts stored in the receptacle.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the tilting device comprises a pouring spout mounted on the movable frame. Thus, the spout makes it possible to better guide the flow of the unloaded parts and to prevent these parts from falling to the ground, and thus to prevent the loss of these parts during unloading.

The invention also relates to an installation comprising a tilting device according to the invention which comprises a drive motor actuating the rotation shaft. According to the invention, the installation comprises a control unit capable of acting on the holding means and the motor of the tilting device.

According to the preceding paragraph, the installation comprises means for measuring the dimensions of the receptacle making it possible to adjust the position of the holding means as a function of the data of the measuring means. For example, the measuring means is an optical sensor capable of detecting the dimensions of the receptacle housed in the mobile chassis. The sensor sends this data to the central unit which adjusts the positioning of the holding means according to the dimensions of the receptacle.

Other innovative features and advantages will emerge from the description below, provided for information and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows, schematically, a perspective view of a rocker device according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows; schematically, a rear view of the tilting device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows, schematically, a front view of an upper part of the rocking device of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows, schematically, a side view of the upper part of the rocking device illustrated in Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 schematically show a side view of the rocking device of Figure 1 comprising a movable frame respectively in the initial position and in the tilted tilting position, and a conveying hopper.

In this document, unless otherwise indicated, the terms "top", "bottom", "bottom", "top" correspond to the top and bottom of Figures 1 to 6 as they are presented. Furthermore, the term "vertical" designates the direction extending from top to bottom of FIGS. 1 to 6. The term "horizontal" designates a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction.

The terms “front” or “front” and “rear” or “behind” are to be considered with respect to the direction of tilting of a movable frame of the tilting device, namely front to the left and rear to the right in FIGS. 4 to 6.

Unless otherwise indicated, the terms "left" and "right" correspond respectively to the left and to the right in Figure 2.

The X, Y, Z axes correspond respectively to the longitudinal (front to back), transverse (from left to right) and vertical (top to bottom) axes of the tilting device 1.

With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a tilting device 1 comprises a fixed chassis 2 and a mobile chassis 3. The fixed chassis 2 is composed of a lower chassis 21 placed on the ground and an upper chassis 22 mounted on said lower chassis 21 by a suitable fixing means, in particular by welding.

In the example illustrated, the fixed lower chassis 21 consists of four vertical pillars 211 and eight horizontal bars 212 parallel to each other. Each lateral face 213 of the fixed lower chassis 21 comprises two horizontal bars 212.

The vertical pillars 211 are each fixed on a height-adjustable leg 214 making it possible to adapt to the flatness of the ground. For safety reasons, the adjustable feet 214 are fixed to the ground, in particular, by screwing means. Indeed, during unloading, a collision between the tipping device 1 and another device installed in the vicinity could occur, for example, due to inadvertent handling. Furthermore, the tilting device 1 is capable of moving when a receptacle is introduced into the movable frame 3 or when it is tilted.

These situations could lead to a displacement of the tilting device 1, or even to a fall. The fact of fixing the fixed lower chassis 21 to the ground therefore makes it possible to avoid displacement and therefore a fall which can be dangerous for the operator who is near the tilting device.

In the example illustrated, the fixed upper frame 22 is formed by four vertical bars 221 and four horizontal bars 222, each of the horizontal bars 222 connecting lower ends 231 of adjacent vertical bars 221. In addition, the vertical bars at the front 233 are higher than the vertical bars at the rear 234. On each of the left side 243 and right side 244, an inclined bar 223 connects the upper end 232 of the front bar to that of the rear bar.

The fixed upper chassis 22, thus designed, comprises a front lateral face 241 and a rear lateral face 242 completely free to facilitate respectively the tilting forwards of the mobile chassis 3 and the introduction of the receptacle at the rear.

The fixed upper chassis 22 defines an interior space E in which the mobile chassis 3 is housed.

The movable frame 3, meanwhile, also has the structure of a frame with a clear rear side face 32 allowing the loading of the receptacle inside the movable frame 3.

The movable frame 3 further comprises a floor 33 on which the bottom of the receptacle rests when the latter is placed in the movable frame 3. In the example illustrated, the floor 33 is formed of horizontal cylinders 331 extending along the direction of the Y axis.

The mobile chassis 3 has a height h extending in the vertical direction represented by the axis Z in FIGS. 1 to 6.

The movable frame 3 comprises holding means 34 making it possible to tighten the receptacle so as to retain it during the tilting of the movable frame

3.

In the example illustrated, the holding means 34 comprise two jacks

341 extending along the axis Y symmetrically arranged in a mirror with respect to a longitudinal median plane P of the movable frame. Here, the longitudinal median plane P passes through a longitudinal axis I illustrated in FIG. 2 and perpendicular to the axis Y shown in the same figure. The jacks 341 are thus arranged one opposite the other.

The jacks 341 have movable rods 342 each carrying at their free end a clamping plate 343. In working condition, the movable rods

342 move in opposite directions so as to reduce or increase the distance between them. This distance here corresponds to the width of the receptacle. In this way, the jacks 341 can be adjusted so as to clamp the receptacle between the clamping plates 343 in order to keep it fixed with the movable frame 3 during the tilting thereof.

In another exemplary embodiment, the jacks 341 can be moved in the vertical direction to adapt to the height of the receptacle.

A pouring spout 4 is fixed to the movable frame 3. In the example illustrated, the pouring spout 4 is composed of three guide plates, including two left side plates 42 and right 43, and a front side plate 41. The side plates left 42 and right 43 are substantially inclined with respect to the vertical axis Z and symmetrical in mirror with respect to the longitudinal median plane P. The front side plate 41 connects the left side plates 42 and right 43. A grid 44 passing through fine meshes is carried out on the front side plate 41.

In this way, the spout 4 serves as a funnel for directing the flow of the unloaded parts to a device capable of receiving these parts, in particular a conveyor belt or a storage tank. In addition, the left 42 and right 43 side plates prevent the unloaded parts from coming out from both sides of the movable frame 3 and make it possible to prevent the parts from falling to the ground.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a rotation shaft 5 of axis L extending along the axis Y connects the mobile chassis 3 to the fixed chassis 2, here to the fixed upper chassis 22. In the example illustrated, the rotation shaft 5 is rotatably mounted with respect to the fixed upper chassis 22 by means of rolling bearings 51. Here there are two rolling bearings 51 installed respectively in the left front vertical bar 233A and the right front vertical bar 233B in the upper chassis fixed 22. The rolling axis of these bearings is parallel to the Y axis and aligned with the L axis of the rotation shaft 5.

In parallel, the rotation shaft 5 maintains, here, a fixed connection with the movable frame 3. In this example, the movable frame 3 comprises two connection plates 35 substantially triangular, symmetrical in mirror shape and projecting from the front side face 31 of the movable frame 3. These plates 35 have holes receiving the rotation shaft 5. The latter is held fixed with the movable frame 3 by friction.

A drive motor 6 is mounted on the rotation shaft 5, here on its right end 52. In the example illustrated, this is an electric motor capable of actuating the rotation shaft 5 so as to what it turns on itself and causes the tilting of the mobile chassis 3.

Theoretically, the rotation shaft 5 can perform full rotations. However, in the example illustrated, in view of the structure of the tilting device 1, the rotation of the shaft 5 is limited to a maximum of half a turn, which corresponds to a total overturning of the mobile chassis 3, that is that is, when the tilt angle reaches 180 °.

Here, the electric motor is equipped with a built-in mechanical brake which allows the rotation shaft to be stopped at the desired time.

In the example illustrated, the rotation shaft 5 and the drive motor 6 are located almost at the mid-height h / 2 of the movable chassis. If the receptacle has a height substantially equal to that of the movable frame, the rotation shaft 5 and the motor 6 are at the same level of the center of gravity of the assembly of the movable frame and the receptacle, which makes it possible to deploy little effort to lift the whole.

End stops 7 are installed in the tilting device 1. In this example, two stops 7 are integral with the fixed upper frame 22 and located at the floor 33 of the movable frame 3. These stops 7 are symmetrical in relation to in the longitudinal median plane P and extend towards the interior space E defined by the fixed upper chassis 22. These stops 7, thus arranged, make it possible to stop the pitching of the mobile chassis 3 by returning to its initial position after tilting.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, the rocking device 1 is placed close to a tank 8 intended for the storage of the parts contained in the receptacle. Here, the storage tank 8 is placed in front of the tilting device 1 and receives the parts stored in the receptacle.

In an example of use of the tilting device according to the invention, the receptacle contains closure caps for plastic bottles. In this case, the plugs, once poured into the storage tank 8, are conveyed to a plug elevator in a manner known to a person skilled in the art. The storage tank 8 is also called a hopper.

Figures 5 and 6 show the movable frame 3 respectively in the initial position and in the tilted tilting position.

In the initial position, the mobile chassis 3 is placed straight on the fixed lower chassis so that the spout 4 is at the top and the floor 33 of the mobile chassis 3 is parallel to the horizontal. A receptacle, housed in the movable frame 3, is thus in an original vertical position with an opening at the top and a bottom at the bottom.

In the tilted tilting position, the movable frame 3 leaves the interior space E of the fixed upper frame 22. The pouring spout 4 is now located at the bottom while the floor 33 of the movable frame 3 is located at the top. A receptacle, housed in the movable chassis, is then in an inverted position with the opening at the bottom or the bottom at the top.

The tilting angle of the mobile chassis is the angle formed between the floor and the horizontal represented by the X axis or the Y axis. To facilitate the representation of this angle in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is measured from the position of a middle bar 36, parallel to the floor, with respect to the X axis.

In the initial position, the tilt angle is 0 °. In the tilted tilt position, the tilt angle is approximately 135 °.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, the distance between the axis L of the rotation shaft 5 and the point of the most distant movable frame W of this axis, in a plane parallel to the longitudinal median plane P, defines the tilting radius R of the movable chassis 3. Here, the most distant point W is on the left side plate 42 of the pouring spout.

The circle C drawn from the tilting radius R represents the span of the mobile chassis 3 during its tilting. In other words, this circle C delimits the space which is swept by the mobile chassis 3 during the tilting. The smaller this circle C, the less space the mobile chassis will occupy.

Since the rotation shaft 5 is on the fixed upper chassis 22 and almost halfway up, the tilting radius R is almost half the size of that of a conventional tilting device. Indeed, in a conventional tilting device, since the rotation shaft is at the same level as the floor of the mobile chassis, the tilting radius corresponds to the height of the mobile chassis.

Consequently, the circle C drawn from the tilting radius of the present invention is less important than that drawn from the tilting radius of a conventional device. In other words, during tilting, the movable frame 3 of the tilting device 1 according to the invention occupies less space than that of a conventional tilting device.

Thus, the safety spacing di, that is to say the distance to be respected in order to avoid any collision between the mobile chassis 3 and the storage tank 8, is less wide in the case of the invention. The devices, located in the vicinity of the tilting device according to the invention, can therefore come closer to it, which saves space in the production workshop.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the drive motor and the holding means are controlled by a control unit.

The tilting device according to the invention thus has many advantages. First of all, it eliminates any manual intervention during the spillage of the receptacle and provides a complete emptying of the latter.

As a result, the operator's physical conditions are preserved and there is therefore less or even no risk of injury during this operation.

Furthermore, in the absence of operator intervention during this phase, any risk of contamination of the parts stored in the receptacle is avoided.

In the example where the tilting of the mobile chassis is carried out by the motor, automation saves time for emptying the receptacles, therefore better productivity at the station.

Finally, the tilting device according to the invention prevents the products from leaving 10 outside the receptacle. This decreases the rate of product loss during the spill.

Of course, it is possible to make numerous modifications to the invention without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims (12)

1. Tipping device (1) for receptacle comprising: - a fixed frame (2, 21,22); - a movable frame (3) intended to receive said receptacle and comprising a floor (33) on which a bottom of said receptacle is supported; - a rotation shaft (5) of axis L connects the fixed chassis (2, 22) to the mobile chassis (3); said tilting device (1) being characterized in that the rotation shaft (5) is disposed above the floor (33) and mounted movable in rotation about the axis L allowing the movable frame (3) to tilt by relative to the fixed frame (2). 2. rocking device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable frame (3) has a height h and in that the rotation shaft (5) is arranged at a level corresponding to a half-height h / 2 of said movable chassis (3). 3. Tipping device (1) according to claim 1 or according to claim 2, characterized in that the tipping device (1) comprises a drive motor (6) actuating the rotation shaft (5). 4. Tipping device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the drive motor (6) is mounted on the rotation shaft (5). 5. Tipping device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mobile chassis (3) comprises holding means (34, 341) intended to retain a receptacle with said mobile chassis (3). 6. rocking device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that holding means (34) comprise two jacks (341) arranged one opposite the other and movable in a transverse direction (Y) parallel to the axis L of the rotation shaft (5) and in two opposite directions. 7. rocking device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the jacks (341) are movable in a longitudinal direction (Z) perpendicular to the axis L of the rotation shaft (5) and in the same direction . 8. rocking device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movable frame (3) is moved between an initial position and an inclined tilting position, in that the rocking device (1) comprises a stop (7) limit switch in the initial position. 5 9. rocking device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movable frame (3) comprises a vibrator. 10. Tipping device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tipping device (1) comprises a pouring spout (4) mounted on the movable frame (3). 10 11- Installation characterized in that it comprises a rocking device (1) according to one of claims 5 to 10 when claims 8 to 10 depend on claim 5 and said rocking device (1) comprising a drive motor ( 6) actuating the rotation shaft (5), and in that the installation comprises a control unit capable of acting on the holding means (34) and the motor (6) of the tilting device (1). 12. Installation according to claim 11 characterized in that it comprises means for measuring the dimensions of the receptacle making it possible to adjust the position of the holding means (34) as a function of the data of the measuring means.