IT201800000386A1 - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING ARTICLES - Google Patents

Description

Description of the invention having as title:

"APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HANDLING ARTICLES"

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for handling articles, in particular flexible articles such as sachets, envelopes or pouches. The invention also relates to an automatic machine, in particular for packaging articles, comprising the aforementioned apparatus for handling articles.

STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

Apparatus and methods for handling articles in the context of automated packaging machines or lines are known in the art.

Known apparatuses and methods comprise an article feed line and an article delivery line.

The feeding line and the delivery line are typically shaped like conveyor belts or chains of a known type. They can, for example, extend parallel or perpendicular to each other.

For example, the feeding line carries on it the articles coming out of a machine or processing station located upstream, for example a filling station in which the articles to be handled are filled. The delivery line, on the other hand, transports the items to a downstream machine or processing station, for example a packaging station in which a cartoning or cartoning machine arranges the items in an orderly manner inside boxes or cartons.

Apparatus and methods known in the art comprise a manipulator which picks up the articles from the feed line and places them on the delivery line.

The manipulator can be shaped as a robotic articulated arm with several working axes.

To pick up the articles, the manipulator can be provided with suction cups which are able to hold the articles by vacuum while moving from the feeding line to the delivery line.

In many applications it is envisaged to form piles comprising different items, which are laid out on top of each other on the delivery line. In this case, the delivery line can comprise a plurality of drawers, delimited by a pair of opposite lateral sides, each configured to receive a stack of articles.

A drawback of the apparatuses and methods known in the art is that they do not allow stacks of stable articles to be formed on the delivery line, in particular when the articles have an uneven and irregular shape. For example, this can happen when envelopes have to be handled which have a first flattened end and a second end, opposite to the previous one, having a considerable thickness. In this case, stacks of articles are generally formed which have on one side all the first ends overlapping each other, at a first vertical level, and on the other side all the second ends overlapping each other, at a second vertical level which is very higher than the first vertical dimension.

It is evident that in cases like this the stacks of items are not stable and are much more complex to handle. In fact, the articles can slide down from the stack and there is therefore a high risk of generating processing waste due to accidental falls of the stacked articles. In particular, this can occur both during the movement of the stack of items on the delivery line towards the downstream processing machine, and when the stack leaves the respective drawer to be inserted inside a respective box.

A further drawback of the apparatuses and methods known in the art is that they are not flexible since they are not able to manage the formation of stacks different from each other, for example having a different number of items included in the different stacks or a different arrangement of the items between one drawer and another.

An object of the present invention is to make available an apparatus and a method for handling articles which are improved with respect to those known in the art.

Another object of the present invention is to make available an apparatus and a method capable of optimizing the arrangement of the articles to be handled on a line for conveying the articles to a downstream work station.

A further object of the present invention is to make available an apparatus and a method capable of forming stacks of stable articles on the conveyor line.

Yet another purpose is to make available an apparatus and a method capable of preventing, or significantly limiting, processing waste due to the accidental fall of articles from the stacks of articles formed on the conveyor line.

A further object is to make available a flexible apparatus and method capable of forming stacks of articles on the conveyor line which may also differ from each other, for example in the number of stacked articles or in their arrangement inside the respective drawer.

Yet another object is to provide an apparatus and a method which allow to handle a large number of articles in the unit of time, compatible with the high productivity of the processing stations arranged upstream and downstream of the handling apparatus according to the present invention.

In order to obviate the drawbacks of the known art and to obtain these and further objects and advantages, the Applicant has studied, tested and implemented the present invention.

EXPOSURE OF THE FOUND

The present invention is expressed and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims disclose other features of the present invention or variants of the main solution idea.

In accordance with the aforementioned purposes, according to the invention an apparatus for handling articles is made available comprising means for feeding the articles towards a picking area of the articles themselves, means for handling the aforementioned articles configured to pick up the articles from the picking area for depositing them. on conveying means which comprise one or more groups of receiving elements each configured to receive an article or a stack of articles from the handling means and movable along the conveying means to move the articles towards at least one processing station arranged downstream.

According to a characteristic aspect of the present invention, the handling means comprise a plurality of gripping means for the aforementioned articles which are configured to rotate the aforementioned articles around a vertical axis so as to deposit the articles in the receiving elements selectively according to an orientation different from the '' orientation of the articles in the picking area; wherein the plurality of gripping means is fixed to a support element so that the gripping means are spaced from each other by a mutual distance which is equal to an integer multiple of the center distance between two adjacent receiving elements , this integer multiple being greater than or equal to three.

This arrangement advantageously provides the gripping means with the necessary space to rotate around its own vertical axis so as to be able to change the orientation of the articles without collisions or collisions between articles during rotation.

In one embodiment, the aforementioned integer multiple is equal to four. In one embodiment, the gripping means are configured to rotate the articles by about 180 ° so as to pick them up from the pick-up area in a "straight" configuration and deposit them in the receiving elements in an "upside-down" configuration.

According to embodiments, the mutual distance between the gripping means is correlated to the length of the articles to be handled, measured according to a prevailing direction of development of the articles themselves. In a preferred embodiment, the mutual distance between the gripping means is greater than half of the aforementioned length of the articles.

According to embodiments described here, the feeding means comprise a plurality of feeding lines, for example equal to the number of gripping means, and having a configuration such that in the area where the articles are picked up by the gripping means, the lines feeders are spaced from each other by a distance substantially equal to the aforementioned mutual distance between the gripping means.

According to embodiments, the apparatus comprises actuator means configured to control the rotation of the plurality of gripping means.

In embodiments, the actuator means comprise a linear piston and respective rack-pinion connections between said gripping means and said support element. In one embodiment, the rack is associated with the support element, while a pinion cooperating with the aforementioned rack is associated with each gripping means.

Advantageously, these actuator means allow to activate the rotation of all the gripping means with a single actuation, so as to ensure a coordinated and simultaneous rotation movement of the different gripping means.

In an alternative embodiment, the actuator means comprise a pair of linear pistons, each of which is configured to control a respective group of gripping means, for example comprising a number of gripping means equal to half the plurality of gripping means included in the apparatus.

This configuration is advantageous because it allows the use of less bulky and powerful linear pistons, which consequently consume less energy and are less expensive.

According to embodiments, the apparatus comprises a plurality of actuation means, which can be associated with respective gripping means, configured to move the latter along the aforementioned vertical axis so as to alternately vertically offset adjacent gripping means so that the rotation of the items take place on different planes arranged at different vertical heights.

In one embodiment, the drive means can be associated with all the "odd" gripping means, or alternatively with the "even" ones, or possibly also with both "odd" and "even" ones, respectively to allow the translation along the aforesaid vertical axis only of the "odd" gripping means, or only of the "even" gripping means, or of all the gripping means.

This is advantageous because obviously the articles to be handled can have even longer lengths along the prevailing development direction, without the articles handled by adjacent gripping means colliding or colliding with each other during rotation.

In one embodiment, each of the aforesaid gripping means comprises one or more suckers operatively connected to a vacuum system and configured to contact the aforesaid articles and retain them by vacuum. In one embodiment, each gripping means comprises two suckers.

According to embodiments, the support element of the gripping means is rigidly connected to an articulated arm with at least two working axes configured to move the support element, and with it the gripping means, between the pick-up area and the conveying means along a transverse direction, which is substantially perpendicular to the aforementioned longitudinal development axis.

According to an embodiment, the conveying means comprise two groups of receiving elements, each moved by a respective movement member driven in motion by a respective motor.

In one embodiment, each of the two groups of receiving elements comprises a large number of receiving elements, for example equal to twenty or forty.

According to embodiments, the processing station arranged downstream of the handling apparatus comprises a transfer member configured to remove the articles, or stacks of articles from the receiving elements. In one embodiment, the transfer member is configured in such a way as to simultaneously remove the articles, or stacks of articles, present in several contiguous elements. In one version, the transfer unit is configured in such a way as to simultaneously remove the items from a number of receiving elements equal to a sub-multiple of the total number of receiving elements of the group of receiving elements.

In embodiments, according to the invention, two or more apparatuses can be provided for handling items, placed in sequence one after the other so as to cooperate in succession on the same conveying means. In this case, the invention provides a method for handling articles configured to control and coordinate the operation of the apparatuses so as to saturate the filling of the receiving elements.

According to the invention, a method is also provided for handling articles comprising the steps of:

- feeding the articles to be handled towards a picking area of the articles by means of feeding means,

- picking up the articles from the pick-up area by means of a plurality of gripping means included in means for handling the articles,

- deposit the aforementioned items in receiving elements included in conveying means configured to move the items to at least one processing station located downstream of the apparatus,

- selectively rotating the aforementioned articles around a vertical axis by means of the gripping means to deposit the articles in the aforementioned receiving elements respectively according to an orientation different from, or equal to, reorientation of the articles in the pick-up area,

in which it is provided to arrange the gripping means spaced from each other by a mutual distance which is equal to an integer multiple of the distance between two adjacent receiving elements, this integer multiple being greater than or equal to three.

Thanks to the method for handling articles according to the invention, it is possible to optimize the arrangement of the articles in the receiving elements so as to form stacks of stable articles and increase the efficiency and productivity of the apparatus.

In one embodiment, the method according to the invention provides for moving the conveying means so as to advance the receiving elements by a pitch equal to the aforementioned center distance, for a number of times equal to the aforementioned integer multiple.

In this way, it is possible to advantageously fill all the receiving elements included in one of the aforementioned groups of receiving elements.

In one embodiment, the method according to the invention further provides for the vertical movement of some gripping means along the aforementioned vertical axis so as to vertically offset the gripping means so that the rotation of the articles takes place on different planes.

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided to move vertically along the aforementioned vertical axis all the "odd" gripping means, or alternatively to the "even" ones, of the succession of gripping means so as to have two groups of gripping means, one arranged in correspondence with a first work plane P1 arranged at a greater vertical height, and one arranged in correspondence with a second work plane P2 arranged at a lower vertical height, at least during the rotation of the articles.

This is advantageous because obviously the articles to be handled can have even longer lengths along the prevailing development direction, without the articles handled by adjacent gripping means colliding or colliding with each other during rotation.

According to the invention, an automatic machine is also provided, in particular for packaging articles, comprising an apparatus for handling articles as described above and operating according to the aforementioned method for handling articles.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be better understood with reference to the following description, the drawing tables and the attached claims. The drawing tables, which are integrated and forming part of the present description, illustrate some embodiments of the present object and, together with the description, aim to describe the principles of disclosure.

ILLUSTRATION OF DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become clear from the following description of embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

- fig. 1 is a partial schematic plan view of an apparatus for handling articles according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a partial and schematic side elevation view of the apparatus of fig. 1;

- fig. 3 is a partial and schematic front elevation view of the apparatus of fig. 1;

- figs. 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d are schematic plan views of a sequence of successive operating phases of the apparatus of fig. 1.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numbers have been used wherever possible to identify identical common elements in the figures. It should be understood that elements and features of one embodiment can be conveniently incorporated into other embodiments without further specification.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the various embodiments of the invention, of which one or more examples are illustrated in the attached figures. Each example is provided by way of illustration of the invention and is not intended as a limitation thereof. For example, the features illustrated or described as being part of an embodiment may be adopted on, or in association with, other embodiments to produce a further embodiment. It is understood that the present invention will include these modifications and variations.

With reference to the figures, an apparatus for handling articles is described, indicated as a whole with the reference number 10. In particular, the apparatus according to the invention is suitable for transferring articles, in the manner that will be described in greater detail below.

The apparatus 10 according to the invention is in particular suitable for handling items having a flexible conformation, such as for example bags, envelopes or sachets. In the attached figures, the articles to be handled are indicated with the reference number 100. Each article 100 has its own length, intended as an extension along a prevalent extension direction of the articles, which is indicated with "L" in the attached figures.

Note that, in the attached figures, above each article 100 depicted, a letter "A" is indicated, for the sole purpose of making the orientation of articles 100 more immediately evident.

The apparatus and the method according to the invention are advantageously capable of handling both single articles and stacks of articles. In the attached figures, the articles 100 are superimposed to form a pile 101, visible in fig. 2.

The apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of feed lines 11 along which the articles 100 advance.

In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 comprises ten power lines 11.

In one embodiment, the feed lines 11 are shaped as channels suitably sized so as to allow the articles to slide.

In embodiments, each feed line 11 comprises a conveyor belt 12 which defines a sliding plane of the articles 100.

The conveyor belts 12 are driven by one or more motorized rollers 12a (fig. 2). In one embodiment, the supply lines 11 have straight sections I la, lb in which the different supply lines 11 develop parallel to each other and at least one curved section 11e connecting the rectilinear sections I la, 1 lb . The curved portion I gives it a diverging course to the supply lines 11, which allows the supply lines 11 to be mutually spaced by the desired distance.

It should be noted that, in embodiments, the articles 100 can reach the feed lines 11 after leaving a first machine or work station located upstream, such as for example a filling station or a station for welding the articles.

The apparatus 10 also comprises a pick-up area 13 of the items 100. In one embodiment, the pick-up area 13 is defined at the aforementioned straight sections lb. In other words, the pick-up area 13 is a terminal end portion of the supply lines 11.

In embodiments, the apparatus 10 comprises abutment means, not shown, for example shaped as one or more barriers arranged at the end of the supply lines 11, adjacent to the latter, to prevent the articles 100 from accidentally falling off the lines. feed 11. The apparatus 10 further comprises a conveyor member 14 configured to move the articles 100 towards a second machine or work station (not shown) located downstream.

In one embodiment, the conveyor member 14 comprises a first conveyor belt 14a and a second conveyor belt 14b.

In embodiments, each conveyor belt 14a, 14b is driven in motion independently of the other conveyor belt 14b, 14a. For this purpose, the apparatus comprises a first motor 15 and a second motor 16 (schematized in the operating sequences of Figs. 4a-4c), configured respectively to drive the first conveyor belt 14a and the second conveyor belt 14b.

In one embodiment, the conveyor member 14 develops along a longitudinal development direction X.

In embodiments, the conveyor member 14 comprises a plurality of receiving elements 17, each configured to receive an article 100 or a stack of articles 101.

Each receiving element 17 comprises at least a pair of opposing separation walls 18 which delimit the compartment in which the articles 100 or the stacks of articles 101 are received in support.

According to embodiments, the receiving elements 17 are arranged on the conveyor member 14 so as to form different groups of receiving elements 17.

In a preferred embodiment, a first group 19 of receiving elements 17 and a second group 20 of receiving elements 17 is provided. The receiving elements 17 included in the first group 19 are fixed to the first conveyor belt 14a and are movable together to the latter.

The receiving elements 17 included in the second group 20 are fixed to the second conveyor belt 14b and are movable together with the latter.

The receiving elements 17 included in the same group 19, 20 are fixed to the respective conveyor belt 14a, 14b by means of fastening means of a type known in the art and not shown in the attached figures.

It should be noted that the receiving elements 17 included in the same group 19, 20 are fixed to the respective conveyor belt 14a, 14b so as to be adjacent to each other so that the separation walls 18 of adjacent receiving elements 17 are in mutual contact .

In one embodiment, each group 19, 20 comprises forty receiving elements 17.

Note that it is possible to define a center distance IC between the receiving elements 17. The center distance IC can be defined as the distance, measured parallel to the longitudinal development direction X, between homologous points of two adjacent reception elements 17. For example, the center distance IC can be measured as the distance between the centerline axes, i.e. the axes of symmetry passing through the center of the compartment that receives the items and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal development direction X, or between two left separation walls , or right, of two adjacent receiving elements 17.

The apparatus 10 also comprises a manipulator member 21 configured to pick up the items 100 from the picking area 13, and to deposit them on the conveyor member 14.

The manipulator member 21 comprises a support element 22 and a plurality of gripping groups 23.

The support element 22 is configured to support the plurality of gripping groups 23.

In one embodiment, the gripping groups 23 are rigidly attached to the support element 22 and are fixed to the latter so as to be equi-spaced along the longitudinal development direction X.

In one embodiment, the gripping groups 23 are spaced from each other by a mutual distance D which is equal to an integer multiple of the center distance IC between two adjacent receiving elements 17.

According to embodiments, this integer multiple is greater than or equal to three. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the aforementioned integer multiple is equal to four.

Also note that it is possible to relate the distance D to the length L of items 100.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the distance D is greater than half the length L. This ensures that, during rotation, two articles 100 held by two adjacent gripping groups 23 do not come into mutual contact because the distance D is such whereby the articles do not collide even in the position of maximum interference, that is when - after a rotation of about 90 ° - the articles are arranged orthogonally with respect to the configurations shown.

In one embodiment, the support element 22 is arranged parallel to the longitudinal development direction X of the conveyor member 14, and therefore extends parallel to the latter.

In one embodiment, the manipulator member 21 comprises ten gripping groups 23.

It should be noted that the number of gripping groups 23 is equal to the number of supply lines 11 so that each gripping group 23 can pick up an article 100 fed along a respective supply line 11.

Each gripping group 23 comprises at least one sucker 24 configured to contact and hold the articles 100 by vacuum. In the illustrated version, each gripping group 23 comprises a pair of suckers 24.

The suction cups 24 are connected, by means of suitable air ducts, to a vacuum pump, not shown.

The manipulator member 21 comprises a first linear actuator 25 and a second linear actuator 26, for example configured as double-acting hydraulic cylinders.

In one embodiment, the first linear actuator 25 is configured to operate a first subset of gripping groups 23, for example the first, third, fifth, seventh and ninth gripping groups 23.

In one embodiment, the second linear actuator 26 is configured to operate a second sub-set of gripping groups 23, for example the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth gripping groups 23.

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the manipulator member 21 comprises a single linear actuator configured to operate all the gripping groups 23.

In another embodiment, not shown, the manipulator member 21 comprises a plurality of linear actuators, one for each gripping group 23, each configured to operate the gripping group 23 directly associated with them.

The manipulator member 21 provides a system that allows each gripping group 23 to rotate around its own vertical axis Z (figs. 2 and 3), as schematized by the arrows F1 in figs. 1 and 2.

In one embodiment, such a system comprises a pinion-rack connection.

For this purpose, the manipulator member 21 comprises a transmission element 27, which is configured as an elongated element which extends parallel to the support element 22. In the embodiment shown, two transmission elements 27 are provided, each cooperating with a respective linear actuator 25, 26.

Each transmission element 27 is connected to the stem of the respective piston which slides within the cylinder of the linear actuator 25, 26.

Each transmission element 27 comprises one or more toothed portions which define a rack, with which respective pinions 28 associated with each gripping unit 23 can engage (Fig. 2).

In one embodiment, the transmission element 27 comprises toothed portions only in correspondence with the gripping groups 23.

In one embodiment, the manipulator member 21 comprises a plurality of actuation means 29, which are selectively associated with some gripping groups 23.

In one embodiment, the actuation means comprise five cylinder-piston assemblies 29, each associated with a respective gripping assembly 23. For example, the cylinder-piston assemblies 29 can be associated with the first, third, fifth, seventh and ninth gripping unit 23.

The cylinder-piston groups 29 are configured to allow the gripping groups 23 to which they are associated to move vertically along the vertical axis Z, as indicated by the arrow F2 in fig. 2.

As can be seen in fig. 2, the suction cups 24 are rigidly connected to the rod 30 of the cylinder-piston assembly 29 so that, when the latter is activated, the suction cups 24 also move vertically. In this way, the gripping units 23 can assume the operative configuration better visible in fig. 3, in which the gripping groups 23 are staggered vertically alternately so as to define two distinct planes P1, P2 in correspondence with which the gripping group 23 rotates around the vertical axis Z. The support element 22 is rigidly constrained to an articulated mechanism 31.

The articulated mechanism 31 comprises a frame 32 and a first arm 33 which is hinged to the frame 32 so as to oscillate around a first axis of rotation T1 in the direction indicated by the arrow R1 in fig. 2. Associated with the first arm 33 is a third motor 34 which controls its movement.

The articulated mechanism 31 comprises a second arm 35 which is hinged to the first arm 33 so as to oscillate around a second axis of rotation T2 in the direction indicated by the arrow R2 in fig. 2. Associated with the second arm 35 is a fourth motor 36 which controls its movement.

The apparatus 10 also includes a control and command unit, not shown, which coordinates at least the operation of the motors 15, 16, 34, 35, of the linear actuators 25, 26 and of the cylinder-piston groups 29.

An operating mode of operation of an apparatus 10 according to the present invention is described below.

Initially, it is provided to feed a plurality of articles 100 along the feed lines 11 with a feed rate which is correlated to the productivity of the upstream machine or work station.

It should be noted that the feed lines 11 allow the articles 100 to advance along a transverse direction Y, which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal development direction X.

In the example illustrated, each supply line 11 advances the articles 100 arranged according to a first "straight" orientation (in which the letter "A" is shown straight).

When the articles 100 reach the terminal ends of the respective feed lines, they are in the pick-up area 13.

It is therefore provided to move the articulated mechanism 31 in such a way that the suction cups 24 of the gripping groups 23 come into contact with respective articles 100.

The gripping groups 23 then pick up the items 100 from the picking area 13 thanks to the action of the suction cups 24.

Subsequently, the articulated mechanism 31 is moved again to bring the gripping groups 23 above the conveyor member 14, so that each gripping group 23 is aligned with a respective receiving element 17.

During the movement of the articulated mechanism 31, or as soon as the latter has stopped in the position described above, it is provided to operate the linear actuators 25, 26 to rotate the gripping units 23, and together with them the articles 100 which they are holding , around the vertical axis Z. In this way, the articles 100 are brought into an "inverted" configuration (in which the letter "A" is shown upside down), in which they have been rotated by about 180 ° with respect to the aforementioned configuration "Straight" to be deposited in the underlying receiving elements 17 in this same inverted configuration, as visible in fig. 4a.

Note that, before the rotation of the gripping groups 23 around the vertical axis Z, it is provided to operate the piston groups 29 to alternately offset the gripping groups 23 vertically, so as to bring them into the configuration of fig. 3. In embodiments, it is provided to repeat the steps of the method described above a number of times equal to the number of items 100 that are expected to stack one on top of the other in each receiving element 17.

In doing this, the phase of rotation of the gripping units 23 can be selectively omitted, and consequently also the phase which envisages staggering them vertically.

For example, the control and management unit, suitably set by the operator, can control the apparatus so that these phases are implemented not at each work cycle, but for example alternatively once every two work cycles.

In the example shown in fig. 2, the first two articles 100 (at the bottom in the stack 101) are arranged according to the straight configuration, and in this case the gripping units 23 have not performed any rotation during their transfer, while the last two articles 100 (at the top in the stack 101) have been rotated by 180 ° to be arranged in the receiving element 17 according to the inverted configuration.

It should also be noted that according to embodiments, the apparatus 10 and the relative method are very flexible since it is possible to control the various linear actuators 25, 26 in a different way with respect to each other so as to form stacks 101 composed of articles 100 arranged differently according to whether the articles have been picked up and deposited by gripping units 23 operated by one or the other linear actuator 25, 26.

Subsequently, the conveyor member 14 is to be advanced by an incremental step, equal to the aforementioned center distance IC. In this way, the receiving elements 17 adjacent to those which have just been filled align themselves with the overlying grip groups 23 and are therefore ready to be filled.

It is therefore envisaged to repeat the operations described above until the piles 101 are also formed in these receiving elements 17, carrying out - or not - the rotation phase depending on the configuration provided for the pile 101 in formation. Fig. 4b shows a step of filling these receiving elements 17, in which the uppermost articles in the stack are in the straight configuration, unlike the contiguous stacks which had been formed previously. As proof of the great flexibility of the apparatus 10, the latter thus allows to form piles 101 having different configuration in adjacent receiving elements 17.

Subsequently, it is provided to advance the conveyor member 14 by a second and a third incremental step (figs. 4c and 4d), again equal to the center distance IC, and to repeat all the operations described above to form further stacks 101 in respective elements of 17 reception still empty.

At the end of the sequence of operations described above, the first group 19 of receiving elements 17 was completely filled. In this case, the complete filling is obtained with four complete work cycles (figs.

4a-4d) because the distance D is equal to four times the center distance IC.

It is evident that if the distance D is equal to an integer multiple of the interaxis IC other than four, the first group 19 of receiving elements 17 can be completely filled with a number of complete cycles equal to the aforementioned integer multiple.

It should be noted that, while the first group 19 is being filled, the second group 20 of receiving elements 17, which had previously been filled, is gradually emptied in the downstream work station.

As can be seen in the right part of figs. 4a-4d, a transfer member 37 is provided configured to transfer the items 100, or the stacks 101, from the conveyor member 14 to the downstream work station. The transferring member 37 can comprise a plurality of abutment elements 38 intended to engage with respective stacks 101 of articles to free as many receiving elements 17.

For the correct operation of the apparatus, it is provided that the abutment elements 38 are a sub-multiple of the total number of receiving elements 17 included in each group 19, 20. In the illustrated example, the transfer member 37 comprises four abutment elements 38, while each group 19, 20 comprises forty receiving elements 17.

It should be noted that, after the second group 20 has been completely emptied, the second motor 16 can drive the second conveyor belt 14b to bring the second group 20 near the first group 19 (fig.4d), in particular while the latter filling is being completed, so that a second group 20 of receiving elements 17 to be filled is ready to replace the first group 19 as soon as the latter has been completely filled with the stacks 101 of articles 100.

It is clear that modifications and / or additions of parts or phases may be made to the apparatus and / or method described so far, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person skilled in the art will certainly be able to realize many other equivalent forms of apparatuses and methods having the characteristics expressed in the claims and therefore all falling within the scope protection defined by them.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for handling articles (100) comprising: - feeding means (11) of said articles (100) towards a pick-up area (13) of said articles (100), - handling means (21) of said articles (100) configured to pick up said articles (100) from said pick-up area (13), - conveying means (14) comprising one or more groups of receiving elements (17) which are configured to receive an article (100) or a stack of articles (101) from said handling means (21) and are movable along said conveying means (14) for moving the articles to at least one processing station arranged downstream, said apparatus being characterized in that said handling means (21) comprise a plurality of gripping means (23) of said articles (100), each of said gripping means (23) being configured to rotate said articles (100) around to a vertical axis (Z) for depositing the articles in said receiving elements (17) selectively according to an orientation different from the orientation of the articles in said picking up area (13); and that said gripping means (23) are fixed to a support element (22) of the plurality of said gripping means (23) so as to be spaced from each other by a mutual distance (D) which is equal to an integer multiple of the spacing (IC) between two adjacent receiving elements (17), this integer multiple being greater than or equal to three. 2. Apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that said mutual distance (D) is correlated to a length (L) of said articles (100), measured according to a prevailing direction of development of said articles, in which said distance (D ) reciprocal between said gripping means (23) is greater than half of said length (L). 3. Apparatus as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said manipulation means (21) comprise at least one linear actuator (25, 26) configured to rotate said gripping means (23). 4. Apparatus as in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said manipulation means (21) comprise a transmission element (27) provided with one or more toothed portions which define a rack, and a plurality of pinions (28) , each of which is associated with a respective gripping means (23), to engage with said transmission element (27). 5. Apparatus as in claims 3 and 4, characterized in that said transmission element (27) is configured as an elongated element which extends parallel to said support element (22) and is connected to said linear actuator (25, 26 ). 6. Apparatus as in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of actuation means (29), associable with respective gripping means (23), configured to move said respective gripping means (23) along said axis vertical (Z) so as to alternately vertically offset adjacent gripping means (23) so that the rotation of said articles (100) takes place on different planes (PI, P2) arranged at different vertical heights. 7. Apparatus as in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said conveying means (14) extend along a longitudinal development direction (X) and comprise a first conveyor belt (14a) and a second conveyor belt (14b) , driven in motion independently of each other by a respective motor (15, 16), in which a first group (19) of said adjacent receiving elements (17) is fixed to said first conveyor belt (14a) and a second group (20) of said adjacent receiving elements (17) is fixed to said second conveyor belt (14b). 8. Method for handling articles (100) comprising the steps of: - feeding said articles (100) to be handled towards a pickup area (13) of the articles by means of feeding means (11), - picking up said articles (100) from said picking up area (13) by means of a plurality of gripping means (13) included in handling means (21) of said articles (100), - depositing said articles (100) in receiving elements (17) included in conveying means (14) configured to move said articles (100) towards at least one processing station arranged downstream, said method being characterized by the fact that it also provides to selectively rotate said articles (100) around a vertical axis (Z) by means of said gripping means (23) to deposit said articles in said receiving elements (17) respectively according to a different orientation from, or equal to, the orientation of said articles (100) in said pick-up area (13), and that said gripping means (23) are arranged at a distance from each other by a mutual distance (D) which is equal to an integer multiple of the spacing (IC) between two adjacent receiving elements (17), this integer multiple being greater than or equal to three. 9. Method as in claim 8, characterized in that it provides to move said gripping means (23) alternately along said vertical axis (Z) so as to vertically offset adjacent gripping means (23) so that the rotation phase of said articles (100) occurs on different planes (P1, P2) arranged at different vertical heights. 10. Automatic machine, in particular for packaging articles (100) arranged superimposed one on top of the other to form respective stacks (101), characterized in that it comprises an apparatus (10) for handling articles (100) according to any one of the claims 1 to 7.