GB2400835A

GB2400835A - Wrapping a bouquet of flowers

Info

Publication number: GB2400835A
Application number: GB0409002A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arie Leendert Koppert
Original assignee: KOPPERT MACHINES BV
Current assignee: KOPPERT MACHINES BV
Priority date: 2003-04-25
Filing date: 2004-04-22
Publication date: 2004-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 2024-04-22
Also published as: NL1023262C2; NL1023262A1; FR2854132A1; ES2263330A1; DE102004019899A1; GB0409002D0; FR2854132B1; ES2263330B1; GB2400835B

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and apparatus for placing a bouquet of flowers in a wrapper, covering the disposition of a wrapper 37 and a bouquet 20, introducing the bouquet into the wrapper through the mouth of the wrapper, after the wrapper has been made accessible to the bouquet by opening the mouth of the wrapper, whereby the bouquet is essentially brought into line with the opened mouth of the wrapper. The invention is characterised by the shooting of the bouquet into the opened wrapper, such as by means of a horizontal conveyor belt 26. The top wrapper of a stack 5 may be opened using suction grippers 11,12.

Description

METHOD FOR WRAPPING A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS

AND A BOUQUET WRAPPING APPARATUS

The invention concerns a method for placing a bouquet of flowers in a wrapper, covering the disposition of a wrapper and a bouquet, introducing the bouquet into the wrapper through the mouth of the wrapper, after the wrapper has been made accessible to the bouquet by opening the mouth of the wrapper, whereby the bouquet is essentially brought into line with the opened mouth of the wrapper.

The automated filling of wrappers with a bouquet is known. A bound bouquet is placed in a funnel-shaped wrapper that has been made accessible, for example by positioning the bouquet in the wrapper with an engaging device, or by allowing the bouquet to fall into a vertical, upright-positioned wrapper.

A disadvantage of the known method is the low processing speed. The purpose of the invention is to increase the speed of producing wrapped bouquets.

This purpose is achieved by the invention by shooting the bouquet into the opened wrapper. In this way, the processing speed is raised. Surprisingly, it has been discovered that this method can improve the speed of processing wrapped bouquets by a factor of 3. Here, "shooting" the bouquet is understood to mean imparting a speed to the bouquet and subsequently releasing it or launching the bouquet at a certain speed. The speed is used by the bouquet to arrive in the opened wrapper. In this way, the simultaneous use of an engaging device, for placing the bouquet in the wrapper, is superfluous.

Upon opening, preferably at least one side of the wrapper is gripped near the mouth of that wrapper and moved diagonally over that mouth. The mouth of the wrapper is thereby opened, causing the inside of the wrapper to become accessible.

The method preferably includes supplying a stack of wrappers, connected to one another along one edge in such a way that when the wrapper is made accessible, the opened wrapper is pulled free at least partially from the stack of wrappers. In this way, opening already starts to pull the wrapper to be filled free of the remaining wrappers in the stack. The filled wrapper can thus be removed more quickly. This is achieved by acting on the gripped wrapper upon opening with sufficient force that the edge connecting with the rest of the stack is partially separated.

Preferably, the bouquet is shot out into the opened wrapper in an essentially horizontal manner. This achieves a horizontal configuration for the method, which is more controllable than methods in which a bouquet falls into a wrapper under the action of e.g. gravity. The end position of the wrapped bouquet is horizontal, not vertical, which is more

stable.

It is useful to provide an essentially horizontal support, which support guides the bouquet into the mouth of the wrapper after shooting. This provides a guiding track, which is also beneficial for bringing the bouquet into line with the wrapper. The horizontal support can extend to inside the wrapper that has been made accessible.

At the same time, the invention provides a bouquet wrapping apparatus for introducing a bouquet, consisting of a stand, opening mechanisms attached to the stand for keeping at least one wrapper in an accessible position for a bouquet, and stand mounted bouquet insertion devices fitted with guiding mechanisms, which can guide the bouquet into the accessible wrapper. The invention is characterized by the fact that the bouquet insertion devices include at least one shooting mechanism, which can carry the bouquet and which is movable in the direction of the opening mechanisms. The shooting mechanism releases a bouquet after the bouquet has acquired momentum. This increases the processing speed considerably. With the shooting mechanism, the speed of filling wrappers with bouquets can be controlled accurately, this in contrast to the state of the art, in which gravity is used for filling the wrappers. Surprisingly, the inventor has discovered that the use of a shooting mechanism does not inflict any damage on the bouquet. At the same time use is made of the often smooth surface of the inside of a wrapper when the bouquet is inserted. The shooting mechanism "launches" the bouquet into the opened wrapper.

Preferably the shooting mechanism is movable in an essentially horizontal manner. The bouquet is shot out in a horizontal direction. In this way, an accurately governable device is obtained that can control the bouquet accurately in the direction of movement. Horizontal movements are more controllable than vertical movements.

The shooting mechanism is preferably provided with at least one lengthways guide, which is fixed parallel to the direction of movement. In this way, a tube or a passage or an open channel is created, which accurately directs the bouquet to be shot out. Two vertical walls are preferably positioned around the shooting mechanism.

The opening devices preferably include at least one device for engaging one side of the wrapper near a mouth of the wrapper, in which the engaging device, movable with respect to the stand, is inserted diagonally on the wrapper, in such a way that the mouth of the wrapper can be moved between a closed and opened position. By moving diagonally over the mouth of the wrapper, the mouth of the wrapper is opened. As an engaging device for example a sucker is used, which is connected to a vacuum pump.

The suction strength depends on the material from which the open wrapper is made. The material of the wrapper is preferably polyethylene, but polypropylene is also possible.

The opening mechanisms preferably include at least one arm that can be moved into the mouth of the wrapper, so that the arm can be moved diagonally outwards over the mouth. In this way, the mouth of the wrapper is tensioned from the inside to the outside, whereby an opened wrapper is obtained into which the bouquet can be shot out.

The mouth of the wrapper is kept in the opened position with some tension.

A funnel-shaped part is preferably inserted between the opening mechanism and the shooting mechanism as a guiding mechanism. This part guides the bouquet shot out into the opened wrapper, during which deviations in the direction of movement can be detected. The deviations come about as the result of the asymmetric character of the bouquet that is shot out. The funnel-shaped part is articulated in such a way that it can be extended inside the opened wrapper.

In the preferred mode of operation supporting devices are mounted on the stand for a stack of wrappers. This causes a wrapper from the stack that is to be opened to be gripped and subsequently opened. The stack can be placed lying on the supporting devices. The stack of wrappers consists of a number of wrappers connected to one another along a tearable edge.

The supporting devices and the shooting mechanism preferably have surfaces that lie essentially in one plane. The opened wrapper can be gripped from the supporting surface and opened. The reserve, in the form of a stack of wrappers, forms the support of the bouquet that is shot out into the opened wrapper. The shooting mechanism and the support are positioned in line with one another, so that a change of the direction of movement of the bouquet is not necessary. The opened wrapper only has to be gripped on one side by a movable engaging device, while the other side of the wrapper is supported by the stack and is still connected with the stack along a tearable edge. This simplifies the construction of the bouquet wrapping apparatus.

In the preferred mode of operation, the shooting mechanism is a conveyor belt. In this way, a low-cost shooting mechanism is provided. The conveyor belt preferably moves at a speed of more than 2 metros per second. By moving at this speed, a bouquet of more than 70 cm can be shot out into a wrapper from the conveyor belt in less than one second, if the opened wrapper is positioned not too far from the end of the conveyor belt.

In this way, a processing speed is obtained of 36 bouquets/wrappers per hour. This is a considerable improvement on the current state of the art. l

The invention is further described by means of the accompanying figures in which: figure 1 a perspective view shows the machinery for wrapping the bouquet operating as indicated by the present invention; figure 2 a detail of the area indicated as 11 shows the bouquet wrapping apparatus as indicated in figure 1; figure 3 a first operating position shows the bouquet wrapping apparatus as shown by figure 1; figure 4 a detail shows a close up of IV of figure 3; figure 5 a second operating position shows the bouquet wrapping apparatus of figure 1, and; figure 6 a third way of operating the apparatus as shown by the invention; figure 7a-c details showing a diagonal cross section of the third operating arrangement.

Figure 1 shows the machinery for wrapping up the bouquet 1 consisting of a stand 2, which has a horizontal bearing area 3, on which a detachable carrier 4 is placed for a stack of wrappers 5. The carrier 4 can quickly be removed so that, when the stack of wrappers 5 is used up, it can easily be replaced by a new carrier with a new supply of wrappers.

The opening mechanism 6 is placed on the stand 2, consisting of two pegs attached to the stand 7, 8 along which the transverse joining piece 10 can be moved in a vertical direction as shown by arrow 9. Transverse joining piece 10 is connected to a motor 17 that is placed under bearing area 3, as can be seen in figure 5.

Transverse rod 10 is provided with two suckers 11, 12 that can grip onto one side of the top wrapper 37 of the stack 5. A vacuum generator (not shown) provides a suction strength that is sufficient to grip the top wrapper 37 of the stack 5. Each wrapper in stack 5 is connected to the next via a tearable edge 13. The movement shown by arrow 9 detaches the upper side of wrapper 37 in an upwards direction along the edge 13.

A bouquet 20 of for example hyacinths, roses, chrysanthemums or lilies, with a length of more than 70 cm, is bound round the stems with an elastic band 21. The bouquet 20 is brought in on the first conveyor belt 22 in the direction of arrow 23 to the bouquet wrapping apparatus 1. The conveyor belt consists of a band on ball bearings fuming round an axis.

By advancing the bouquet 20 in the direction of arrow 23 the bouquet arrives at the second conveyor belt 25 attached to stand 24, which forms the shooting mechanism as shown by the invention. Conveyor belt 25 also supports the bouquet 20 and moves it in the direction of arrow 26. The speed at which the conveyor belt moves is however large, causing the bouquet as it were to be shot out into the mouth 27, which is shaped like a funnel, and which finishes near the opening mechanism 6.

A blower 28 is inserted in the mouth 27, which causes a stream of air in the direction of arrow 29 to the end near the opening mechanism 6.

Not shown is the governing mechanism that directs the various components of the bouquet wrapping apparatus as shown by the invention.

The governing mechanism (not shown) is connected with for example the sensor 19, which detects a bouquet being placed on the conveyor belt 20. When this happens the governing mechanism will start opening a wrapper 37 by gripping that wrapper with the suckers 11, 12. Similarly a sensor can be introduced that detects whether a wrapper has been filled with a bouquet 20, which causes a cycle to begin for the removal of the wrapped bouquet. To do this a gripping device can be activated that l 5 grips onto the wrapped bouquet.

A partition 18 is inserted near the smaller end of the funnel-shaped wrapper 37, which prevents a bouquet 20 shot out into a wrapper 37 moving further. This prevents damage to the wrapper. The partition 18 is a device for intercepting the stems of the bouquet 20.

Near the end of the funnel shape 27 are placed two arms 34, 35, which are attached around axles 32, 33, as shown by arrows 30, 31. The arms 34, 35 can move in the direction of arrows 30, 31 upon which the power is supplied through motor 36 (see figure 5).

Figure 3 shows the bouquet 20 being shot out by the second conveyor belt 25 into the funnel-shaped mouth 27 as shown by arrow 26. Due to the high speed of the bouquet 20, the bouquet shoots into the wrapper 37 which is held open on one side by the suckers 11, 12, while the transverse rod 10 is moved upwards from its initial position as shown in figure 1. At the same time the arms 34, 35 are inserted into the wrapper, which keeps the mouth of the wrapper accessible and open. In this way, disturbances due to the high speed of the bouquet 20 are prevented, while it enters the mouth of the wrapper 37.

Wrapper 37 gripped by the suckers 11, 12 lies with the ungripped lower side still on the stack 5, and this lower side is still partially connected with the stack of wrappers 5 along the tearable edge 13. Only the side gripped by the suckers 11, 12 is free. In figure 4 it can be seen that the tearable edge 13 is at least still partially kept in position.

The conveyor belt 25, the lower side of the mouth 27 and the plane in which the top wrapper 37 of the stack of wrappers 5 lies, are preferably positioned in the same plane and preferably in a horizontal plane. The bouquet 20 slides over the lower side of the basket 27 and through the inside of the wrapper 37. Here use is made of a polyethylene wrapper. This wrapper is smooth, also on the inside.

In the opened position of the wrapper 37 as shown by figure 3 blower 28 blows air as shown by arrow 29 in the direction of the mouth of the wrapper 37. The stream of air further opens the funnel-shaped wrapper 37, and it becomes inflated as shown in figure 3. The end of the wrapper, located opposite the side that is gripped by the opening mechanism 6, is likewise opened by the stream of air.

Figure 5 shows the wrapper 37 that is filled with bouquet 20 that is held together with an elastic band 21. The wrapper fits closely to the bouquet 20.

The wrapper can then be removed, for example through a gripper that grips onto the stems of the bouquet 20.

Figure 6 shows an apparatus 50 by which bouquets of flowers 51 that are supplied as shown by arrow 52 on a conveyor belt 53 can be wrapped. The wrapped flowers 54 are removed on a second conveyor belt 55 as shown by arrow 56.

The set-up for the third operating arrangement includes a stand 57, on which is mounted a conveyor belt 58 which is tensioned around axles 59, 60 and which is powered with a motor (not shown). Prepared bouquets 51 are placed as shown by arrow 61 in the space between two walls 62, 63 between which runs strip 58, and the conveyor belt 58 carries the prepared bouquets as shown by arrow 64 between the vertical walls 62 and 63 in the direction of the mouth 65. Sensors can be inserted here and there between the walls 62 and 63 on strip 58 as shown by arrow 61 to monitor reception of a bouquet 51. The detection system can be relayed back to a governing mechanism (not shown) which governs the steps of the operation. Setting this up will be straightforward for a professional.

The conveyor belt and the channel for the prepared bouquets 51 are positioned on the stand 57. Under the conveyor belt 58 are located two transport units for cassettes 68 that are formed by clamping devices between which a stack of wrappers 69 can be clamped.

A cassette, cassette 70 shown in Figure 7a in cross section, is clamped around the end of a stack of wrappers. A stack of wrappers 69 is made up of wrappers that are connected along a detachable/tear-off-able perforated edge along the upper side.

This top part is clamped between second parts of the cassette 68, 70. Thus a free wrapper can be tom off the stack of wrappers 69 held in the cassette 68, 70.

A cassette 68 that has taken by clamping a stack of wrappers 69 is placed on two guides 71, 72 in a position like the one shown in Figure 6 right hand side. The wrapper 69 hangs under the cassette 68 which with two cams 73, 74 rests on the guides 71, 72. The user of the apparatus 50 places the stack of wrappers 69 in the cassette 68.

After the placing of the cassette 68 on the guides 71, 72 the cassette can be moved as shown by arrow 75 and will arrive on the first feed track 67.

The first feed track 67 includes two continuous belts 76, 77 tensioned between two axles 78, 79 that are connected by means of bearings with the stand 57. Between the two continuous belts 76, 77 is located an open space, between which the wrapper 69 can hang down freely. The stand 57 is shaped in such a way that the freely hanging wrapper can be moved from left to right. Cams 72 and 73 lie near it on the belts 76, 77. The friction is sufficient to transfer the movement of the strip to the cassette. The strip 76 and the strip 77 are powered by a motor (not shown).

The cassette with wrapper 68, 69 is transported in the direction of axle 79.

There the cassette will be received as shown in Figure 7a, in a holder 80. The cassette 70 moves as shown by arrow 81 over the belt 76, 77 and is received in the circular recess of holder 80, in which the cams 73, 74 of cassette 70 are received. The holder 80 is connected with a piston 82 that can be powered to raise the holder as shown by arrow 93, and by so doing force up the cassette 70 in the direction of carrousel 83.

The carrousel 83 can be rotated around axis 84 attached to the stand 57. Two holders 85, 86 with a cavity 87 are attached to the carrousel, which is shaped in a similar way to the holder 80. A cam 73, 74 of a cassette 70 can be received in the cavity 87. A cassette 88 is shown with cam 89 that is gripped by means of holder 85. From the position shown in Figure 7a the carrousel can rotate 180 and fuming symmetrically around a point arrive in the position shown upon which the cassette 70 held in holder 80 is picked up in cavity 87 and is moved to the position shown by means of cassette 88. This is further explained in Figures 7b and 7c.

Rotation as shown by arrow 90 of carrousel 83 results in the cassette 91 in which a stack of wrappers 92 is held, being picked up in the corresponding cavity and upon further rotation as shown by arrow 90 from the cavity of holder 80 which is moved upwards as shown by arrow 93 rotated further to the position shown in Figure 7c.

At the same time with the rotation as shown by arrow 90 an empty cassette 94 will be rotated by the carrousel and arrive in a position upon which this cassette will fall downwards over the guide 95 as shown by arrow 96 and will arrive on the belt 97 of the second feed track 66. Belt 97 is tensioned on ball bearings round axles 98 and 99. The cassette together with its cams 100 will arrive on the second feed track 68 and be taken by means of the belts 97 back to the position shown in the right-hand part of Figure 6.

There the cassette runs against a cam 101, by which the cassette will be received. A user of the equipment will be able to open the cassette and clamp a new stack of wrappers in it. This is subsequently taken in again via the guides 71, 72.

In Figure 7c the cassette 91 is shown in a position upon which the carrousel 83 is rotated 180 . The wrapper 92 is partially taken with it. In Figure 7b the wrapper 92 hangs by a feed track 102, which is shown in Figure 6. The feed track 102 consists of two continuous belts 103, 104 which are taken around a number of axles. Belts 103, 104 are connected with rods 109-114 respectively, which lie between them.

The wrappers 92 hang vertically, parallel with part 105 of the belt 103/104.

This part 105 is guided around wheels 106 and 107 and can be moved as shown by arrow 108. In the position shown in Figure 7b the end of the stack of wrappers 92 hangs between the rods 109, 110. Vvhen the belt 108 moves, the position as shown by Figure 7c will be adopted, upon which the end of the wrapper is deflected by the rod 110. Further movement of the belts with rods lying between them means that the stack of wrappers will arrive in the position as shown in Figure 7a, in which the free end is taken right away from the mouth 65 and/or carrousel 83. The wrappers come to lie on the rods 112-114 shown in Figure 7a in a horizontal plane.

In the operating arrangement shown in Figure 6, a bouquet 51 is moved between vertical side walls 62, 63 in the direction of the mouth 65. The mouth 65 is shown at the same time in longitudinal section in Figure 7a. A bouquet 120 is positioned between the side walls 62, 63. The bouquet lies on the strip 58 that can be moved as shown by arrow 121 round axis 60.

The mouth 65 is formed by a cover 122 attached round the walls 62, 63 into which the bouquet 120 as shown by arrow 64 can be transported. At the other end of the mouth 65 there is a flap 123 that can swing as shown by arrow 124 moved by the piston 125 that grips on the end of the flap 123. Flap 123 is connected by means of a hinge with the covering 122.

On both sides of the flap 123 are fixed side walls 126, 127.

A rod 128 can be moved by the piston 125 as shown by arrow 129. At the end of rod 128 is fixed a sucker 130. A number of suction grippers are preferably used that lie longitudinally as shown by Figure 7a extending next to one another / one behind the other.

Figures 7b and 7c show the position of the rods 128 in their lowest possible position. The hinging connection between the rod 128 and the flap 123 is made in the normal way.

In the position in which rod 128 is moved downwards, sucker 130 grips onto the top wrapper of a stack of wrappers. In Figure 7a wrapper 131 is shown which is gripped by means of the sucker 130, upon which rod 128 is moved in an upwards direction as shown by arrow 129, upon which the wrapper is opened. Under the wrapper is positioned a stack of wrappers 132 which are still closed and are supported by the rods 112, 113, 114. The sucker grips onto the top wrapper 131 of the stack of wrappers at a place, in such a way that the perforated edge with which the wrappers are connected to the piece of the stack of wrappers that is gripped by the cassette 88, just to the right of the sucker 130 comes to lie at the left of the cassette 88. When the sucker 130 that grips on the top wrapper 131 moves in an upwards direction, the wrapper will be opened in a comparable way to that shown in previous operating arrangements. When this happens a portion of the perforated edge will tear.

After it has been detected that the wrapper has been opened, for example by a sensor that blows air, a bouquet 120 can be introduced via the conveyor belt 58. The wrapper 151, open at the far end of the mouth 65, can be opened further by blower 141, which blows air inwards through the opened side of wrapper 131. By accelerating a prepared bouquet 51 from the introductory position near 61 in the direction of mouth 65, the bouquet will be shot out into the wrapper 131. The mouth 65 is funnel- shaped at the end that is directed towards the wrapper 131. The end of the funnel is smaller than the entry to the wrapper 131. With this arrangement the bouquet cannot stay caught behind part of the wrapper when it is inserted. The funnel through which the bouquet 120 is guided is smaller than the opening of the wrapper and thus the bouquet is guided into the wrapper.

The bouquet is shot out into the wrapper at high speed. The high speed provides a large momentum, due to which the wrapper 131 will tear further along the perforated edge, which has already partially tom, and the wrapper will become detached from the stack of wrappers and the respective cassette. The wrapper 135 shown in Figure 6 will be removed at the moment that the bouquet is shot out into the opened wrapper as shown by arrow 136 and because of this the bouquet will be inserted with its end resting against the stop 137 provided for this purpose.

The wrapped bouquet 135 is gripped by a robot arm 138 to which is fixed a gripper 139 at the end. The robot arm will rotate as shown by arrow 140 and will remove a bouquet via a conveyor belt 55 in the transport direction 56.

Claims

1. A method for placing a bouquet of flowers in a wrapper, comprising introducing the bouquet into the wrapper through the mouth of the wrapper after the wrapper has been made accessible to the bouquet by opening the mouth of the wrapper, whereby the bouquet is essentially brought into line with the opened mouth of the wrapper, characterized by the shooting of the bouquet into the opened wrapper.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein, upon opening, at least one side of the wrapper is gripped near the mouth of the wrapper.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising the supply of a stack of wrappers, which when the wrappers are made accessible, are at least partially pulled free of one another.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the shooting of the bouquet is substantially horizontal.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized by the provision of a substantially horizontal support, and the guiding of the bouquet into the mouth of the wrapper by the support after the shooting.

6. A bouquet wrapping apparatus for introducing a bouquet into a wrapper, consisting of a stand, opening mechanisms attached to the stand for keeping at least one wrapper in an accessible position for a bouquet, and stand-mounted bouquet insertion devices fitted with guiding mechanisms which can guide the bouquet into the accessible wrapper, wherein the bouquet insertion devices include at least one shooting mechanism, which can carry the bouquet and which is movable in the direction of the opening mechanisms.

7. A bouquet wrapping apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the shooting mechanism can be moved in an essentially horizontal manner.

8. A bouquet wrapping apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the shooting mechanism is provided with at least one lengthways guide, which is fixed parallel to the direction of movement.

9. A bouquet wrapping apparatus according to any one of claims 6-8, wherein the opening mechanism includes at least one engaging device for engaging one side of the wrapper near a mouth of the wrapper, in which the engaging device, movable with respect to the stand, is inserted diagonally on the wrapper, in such a way that the mouth of the wrapper can be moved between a closed and opened position.

10. A bouquet wrapping apparatus according to any one of claims 6-9, wherein the opening mechanisms include at least one arm that can be moved into the mouth of the wrapper, so that the arm can be moved diagonally outwards over the mouth.

11. A bouquet wrapping apparatus according to any one of claims 6-10, wherein between the opening mechanism and the shooting mechanism a funnelshaped part is introduced as a guiding mechanism.

12. A bouquet wrapping apparatus according to any one of claims 6-11, wherein supporting devices are mounted on the stand for a stack of wrappers.

13. A bouquet wrapping apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the supporting devices and the shooting mechanism have surfaces that lie essentially in one plane.

14. A bouquet wrapping apparatus according to any one of claims 6-13, wherein the shooting mechanism is a conveyor belt.

15. A bouquet wrapping apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.

16. A method for placing a bouquet of flowers in a wrapper substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.