NL2032479B1 - Transport system for transporting one or more products - Google Patents

Transport system for transporting one or more products Download PDF

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Publication number
NL2032479B1
NL2032479B1 NL2032479A NL2032479A NL2032479B1 NL 2032479 B1 NL2032479 B1 NL 2032479B1 NL 2032479 A NL2032479 A NL 2032479A NL 2032479 A NL2032479 A NL 2032479A NL 2032479 B1 NL2032479 B1 NL 2032479B1
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NL
Netherlands
Prior art keywords
transport
conveyor
linear drive
pushers
transport system
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Application number
NL2032479A
Other languages
Dutch (nl)
Inventor
Johannes De Vette Bart
Original Assignee
Royal Houdijk B V
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Application filed by Royal Houdijk B V filed Critical Royal Houdijk B V
Priority to NL2032479A priority Critical patent/NL2032479B1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of NL2032479B1 publication Critical patent/NL2032479B1/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G54/00—Non-mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for
    • B65G54/02—Non-mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B35/00—Supplying, feeding, arranging or orientating articles to be packaged
    • B65B35/30—Arranging and feeding articles in groups
    • B65B35/40—Arranging and feeding articles in groups by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers
    • B65B35/405—Arranging and feeding articles in groups by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers linked to endless conveyors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G19/00—Conveyors comprising an impeller or a series of impellers carried by an endless traction element and arranged to move articles or materials over a supporting surface or underlying material, e.g. endless scraper conveyors
    • B65G19/02—Conveyors comprising an impeller or a series of impellers carried by an endless traction element and arranged to move articles or materials over a supporting surface or underlying material, e.g. endless scraper conveyors for articles, e.g. for containers

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a transport system for transporting one or more products, comprising: a conveyor means and a plurality of pushers, a first linear drive transport means located near first end of said transport system; and a second linear drive transport means located near said second end of said transport system; wherein said first and second linear drive transport means comprise a magnetic track and magnetically driven movers arranged for driving said pushers along said magnetic track; wherein said transport system is configured such that during a first part of said transport path near said first end said pushers are driven by said movers along said magnetic track of said first linear drive transport means for individual control of speed and mutual spacing of said pushers, and wherein said transport system is further configured such that during a second part of said transport path near said second end said pushers are driven by said movers along said magnetic track of said second linear drive transport means for individual control of speed and mutual spacing of said pushers, and wherein during an intermediate part between said first and second part of said transport path, said pushers are driven by said conveyor means for driving said pushers at a fixed speed and fixed mutual spacing.

Description

Title: Transport system for transporting one or more products
Description:
The present invention relates in general to a transport system for transporting one or more products along a product path
Transporting systems may conventionally be defined as conveyors which transport products from one position to the other, i.e. from a product input to a product output. For example in case of baked products such as cookies, biscuits and base cakes transporting the products from an oven or cooling conveyor towards a further handling device for example for depositing cream based substances and capping the cookies with a sandwiching machine or for transporting the products towards loaders or packagers.
The baked products, when coming from the oven or such, may arrive upstream in a single row and may also be processed further downstream in a single row, i.e. for packing the products with a plastic foil or wrap in a foil wrapping packing device. As the products may arrive at a different speed and pitch or also known as mutual spacing between the products as required at the output, e.g. as defined by the packing device which prescribes a certain speed and pitch and at least a speed and pitch within a certain relatively limited margin or bandwidth.
Also, the supply of products at the input may change over time due to the increase, decrease or upscale, downscale of production capacity of the oven(s), availability of robots or downstream wrappers, or due to switching to manufacturing a different type of products. This requires flexibility in feeding of the devices downstream, e.g. the feeding of these products to the packing devices.
Linear drive systems may provide such flexibility as these are linear drive transport means which comprise movers which are individually controllable over a magnetic track such that each mover can be positioned and moved individually.
Pushing the products along a conveyor path with such movers of a linear drive transport means thus allows the products within the flow of product to be increased in speed, decreased in speed and thereby also increase or decrease of the pitch.
A drawback of the use of such linear drive transport means based transport systems or conveyors is that these are complex and costly and limited to a maximum number of movers. Especially for transport systems in which a long, e.g. 5+ meters, or even 10 or 20 meters, conveyor path is required, for example in pick-and- place tracks with several pick-and-place robots, the complexity and costs are huge.
As such, it is a goal of the present disclosure to provide for a transport system which is arranged for providing a long, e.g. 5+ meters, or even 10 or 20 meters, conveyor path which is arranged for individual control of the speed and pitch of the products conveyed with the transport system, which is less complex and less costly for such large transport lines.
This goal is achieved in a first aspect, with a transport system for transporting one or more products from a first end of said transport system towards said second end of said transport system, said system comprising: - a conveyor means for transporting said products along at least part of a transport path, wherein said transport path is defined from said first end to said second end of said transport system, said conveying means preferably comprising one of a timing belt or a conveyor chain; - a plurality of pushers, each pusher being arranged for pushing said one or more products along at least part of said transport path, wherein said transport system is a closed loop system in which each of said pusher upon arrival at said second end is returned to said first end of said transport system along a return path being opposite of said transport path, wherein said transport system further comprises: - a first linear drive transport means located near first end of said transport system; - a second linear drive transport means located near said second end of said transport system;
wherein said first and second linear drive transport means comprise a magnetic track and magnetically driven movers arranged for driving said pushers along said magnetic track; wherein said transport system is configured such that during a first part of said transport path near said first end said pushers are driven by said movers along said magnetic track of said first linear drive transport means for individual control of speed and mutual spacing of said pushers, and wherein said transport system is further configured such that during a second part of said transport path near said second end said pushers are driven by said movers along said magnetic track of said second linear drive transport means for individual control of speed and mutual spacing of said pushers, and wherein during an intermediate part between said first and second part of said transport path, said pushers are driven by said conveyor means for driving said pushers at a fixed speed and fixed mutual spacing.
The proposed system comprises three main components, a conveyor means, and a first and second linear drive transport means. With the conveyor means, conventional conveyor means are meant. These conveyor means may thus comprises a drive chain, conveyor belt, chain conveyors, or even (combined with) roller based conveyors. Typical for such conveyor means is that these are cheap, robust and are designed for transporting products along a transport path with a speed that is identical between the products and a mutual spacing that is fixed.
The first and second linear drive transport means comprise movers and a track. The track is a magnetic track for the magnetically driven movers to move along this track. Hence, the track defines the transport path and a control module or drive module drives the movers in an individual manner. This way each mover may be independently moved with a preferably independent motion profile. This has many benefits as the movers may be completely passive and the active drive means is provided by the powered track. This track may consist of motor modules and a guide rail for the movers to move along. One of the most important benefits of the linear drive system is that speed and position can thus be controlled individually. Thus, upon moving the products along the transport path, the pitch between the products may be increased or decreased during transport, and the speed may be increased and decreased as well. This further allows the products to be synchronized with other components downstream at the product output, or upstream at the product input. A drawback of the linear drive system is however that the system is more complex than the conventional conveyor means, and therefore also more expensive.
Is has been an insight of the inventors that each system, conventional conveyor and linear drive system, has advantages and disadvantages and that a hybrid system in which both systems are combined, also combines the advantages of both systems.
Thus, the transport system according to the first aspect of the present disclosure is arranged for transporting products from one position to the other, for example, from a product input to a product output, which product input may be located at the start or beginning and thus one distal end of the transport system, towards the product output at the end or other distal end of the transport system. The product input, and optionally also the product output, may however also be located along the transport path and thus in between both distal ends of the transport system The transport path is defined as the path in which pushers transport the products, trays or trays with products from one position to the other. Along the transport path pushers are used for pushing each of the products. Each product may be pushed by one single pusher, or may be pushed by a pair of pushers in which the product may be sandwiched between the pair. One pusher may however also push two or more products, for example a row or stack of products.
For the present disclosure the products may comprise baked products such as cookies, biscuits and base cakes which are to be transported for example from an oven or cooling conveyor towards a further handling device for example for depositing cream based substances and capping the cookies with a sandwiching machine or for transporting the products towards loaders or packagers. The products may be transported with or without trays as containers or carriers or supports for supporting one or preferably several products.
The products are thus moved by the pushers. The pushers are considered passive elements and may be configured for a specific type of product, e.g. by selecting specific materials, shapes and dimensions. Along the full length of the transport path the transport thus relies on the pushers, as they move the products. 5 The pushers however may be driven and thus provided by active drive means by either a linear drive system or by a conveyor means which may have means for engaging with the pushers, e.g. by having limbs, knobs, ribs, or other means which engage an element of the pushers.
These pushers allow a system in which, depending on what is required for that particular part of the transport path, active driving is thus provided by a conventional, less complex and less expensive conveyor, or a by more complex but more expensive linear drive system. It has been found that for a transport path there are often several requirements, being: the product such be moved from one physical location to another, e.g. from an oven to a wrapper, upstream at the product input the handover from the components from which the product is handed-over, e.g. the oven, may be delicate, error prone and may require specific timing, speed and pitch. The same applies downstream at the product output, where the hand-over, e.g. to a wrapper, may be even more delicate, error prone and require specific timing, speed and pitch as these are often directed from the input conveyor of the wrapper.
The inventors had the insight that by combining the conventional conveyor with a linear drive system, but only at the end and the beginning of the transport path, that would combine the best of both worlds as is allows such delicate input and output and allows synchronization but does not require a complex and costly setup consisting of only linear drive system components for the full length of the transport path. Further, the transport path and the return path may be set at different speeds, such that without further measures there will be an accumulation of pushers at the transition between the transport path and the return path. To this end, the pusher may need to accelerate atthe start or end of the transport path or return path to prevent endless accumulation and to set the timing, speed, and mutual distance in accordance with what is required for loading by a loading means such as one or several industrial robot arms.
In an example, the transport system further comprises: - one or more loading robots, located at a product input located along part of said transport path, wherein said product input is in particular located along said first linear drive transport means located near first end of said transport system, or along said a conveyor means located at said intermediate part between said first and second part of said transport path.
There can be several setups in the loading and unloading of the products.
In one example, the products may be loaded at first end of the transport system, thus at the (distal) end or start of the transport path. Robots may be provided to load the products from a product supply, i.e. a conveyor parallel or perpendicular to the transport system, or from a bulk supply near the product input. The products may however also be loaded further along the path and thus somewhere between the first and second end of the transport system. In such an example, the first end of the system, where the (first) linear drive system is located, is used to arrange the pushers for loading at the loading location, i.e. the product input. The pushers may arrive at the first end from the return path and should have a timing, speed and mutual spacing which is suitable for the robots at the product input to successfully load the products.
Thus the first linear drive transport means control each individual pusher for such correct loading.
In an example, the transport system may comprise - product tray loading means, located along the transport path before said one or more loading robots, arranged for loading trays into said transport path for supporting one or more of said products in said trays.
Tray loading means, such as a tray denester are arranged to individualize a stack of trays into single trays for placing such tray into the transport system along the transport path. The tray denester is preferably located at the first end of the transport system and in such an example, the first linear drive transport means are arranged for individual control of each tray such that the timing, speed and mutual spacing between each tray along the transport path is configured for loading by the loading robots at the product input.
In an example, each of the pushers comprises a corresponding mover of a linear drive transport means, for each of the pair of pusher and corresponding mover being shared between the conveyor means, the first linear drive transport means and the second linear drive transport means.
One of the ways in which the linear drive system and the conveyor means can be combined into a hybrid conveyor means is by combining a pusher and a mover of a linear drive system as a mover/pusher pair. Such a mover/pusher pair may then be shared between both first and second linear drive means without the movers detaching from the pushers. The pusher and mover thus exit the first linear drive means and in particular the motor units thereof in the magnetic track, and the driving thereof is taken over by the conveyor means. The conveyor means provides transport for most of the transport path and hand the transport or more particularly the driving over to the second linear drive means near the product output. At this product output the mover and pusher pair are introduced into the track of the second linear drive conveyor system and actively driven thereby. This implementation may require some modification to the linear drive system as preferably each mover should be identifiable or addressable by the system, for the movers to leave one system, be transported to the next and enter this second systems track. It is however a less complex mechanical implementation, requiring little mechanical modification or adaption of the systems.
In an example, the first linear drive transport means is at least partly integrated into the conveyor belt at the first end of the transport system, and the second linear drive transport means is at least partly integrated into the conveyor belt at the second end of the transport system.
In an example, the integration of the first and second linear drive transport means is defined as the transport path to comprise a part of the magnetic track of the first and second linear drive transport means as well as the conveyor belt, and wherein the movers are transferred from the part of the magnetic track of the first linear drive transport means to the conveyor belt, and from the conveyor belt to the part of the magnetic track of the second linear drive transport means.
In an example, the magnetic track of the first and second linear drive transport means comprise an open loop magnetic track.
In an example, the first and second linear drive transport means comprise dedicated movers.
In other examples, the first and second linear drive transport means or also referred to as linear drive system, or linear drive means, may also comprises its own dedicated movers. Hence, the movers are not shared between both systems and are thus not transported in the intermediate section from the first to the second linear drive means. Each linear drive means has its own movers, which preferably are moved along a closed-loop track. The movers engage with the pushers and disengage at the handover to the conveyor means. The conveyor means transport the pushers and thus the products further along the transport path toward the second linear drive means at which there are engaged by the movers thereof. This implementation has several advantages as the linear drive systems do not require modification. The control of the linear drive systems can be kept as-is and there are also not complex mechanical modifications required. It however may require additional track sections or more precise, rails which also makes it a bit more expensive.
In an example, the first linear drive transport means is at least partly positioned parallel to the conveyor belt at the first end of the transport system, and the second linear drive transport means is at least partly positioned parallel to the conveyor belt at the second end of the transport system.
In an example, the positioning of the first second linear drive transport means parallel to the conveyor belt is defined as the conveyor path to comprise a separate conveyor belt, a separate part of a magnetic track of the first and second linear drive transport means, and wherein each of the first and second linear drive transport means and the conveyor belt has dedicated movers, which movers of the first and second linear drive transport means are arranged to engage the movers of the conveyor belt.
In an example, the movers comprise engaging means for engaging with the conveyor means, and preferably disengaging with the conveyor means.
In an example, the system further comprises control means for control of timing of the movers of the first and second linear drive means and timing of the conveyor means, for synchronizing the timing between the first linear drive means and the conveyor means, and the second linear drive means and the conveyor means.
In an example, the control means comprise one or more of encoder means, Sensor means, vision means and communication means.
In an example, the transport system is arranged for inserting the one or more products near the product output into a conveyor means of a packaging device.
In an example, the transport system is arranged for integration with a conveyor means of a packaging device, and wherein the conveyor means is one of the conveyor belt, second linear drive transport means or a further conveyor means.
In an example, the transport system may comprise two conveyor means, a first conveyor means for transporting the products along the transport path and a second conveyor means for transporting the products along the return path.
Brief Description of the Drawings:
The present disclosure will be explained in more detail below by means of examples of a device according to the present disclosure shown in the drawings, in which:
Fig. 1: shows a first embodiment of the present disclosure;
Fig. 2: shows a detail of the first embodiment;
Fig. 3: shows a second embodiment of the present disclosure;
Fig. 4: shows a detail of the second embodiment;
Fig. 5: shows a third embodiment of the present disclosure;
Fig. 6: shows a detail of the third embodiment.
Detailed Description:
Figures 1-6 show a transport system 100a, 100b, 100c for transporting one or more products from a product input to a product output. The system 100a, 100b, 100c is thus arranged and configured to function as a transport system which transports the products from one position to the other. The products for which the transport system is highly suitable are preferably baked products such as cookies, biscuits and base cakes, which may be transported from an oven or cooling conveyor towards a further handling device for example for depositing cream based substances and capping the cookies with a sandwiching machine or for transporting the products towards loaders or packagers.
The transport system 100a, 100b, 100c is not only arranged to transport the products from one position to the other, but also to change individual in respect of conveying speed and/or pitch, being the distance between two products on the conveyor. As such, by individual control of the products, the product infeed and/or product outfeed can be matched to the devices upstream and/or downstream, e.g. to the oven or cooling conveyor, and the cream depositing devices or packagers.
In order to synchronize the product infeed and/or the product outfeed and/or to be able to provide flexibility for performing a certain type of handling to the products during the transport path between the input and the output, the transport system 1004, 100b, 100c is provided with both a conventional conveyor means 110 such as a conveyor belt, timing belt, or conveyor chain, and with linear drive systems 120, 130.
The conventional conveyor means 110 is cheap and simple to implement and control, whereas the linear drive system 120, 130 is more complex and costly. The conveyor means 110 or conventional conveyor means 110 are arranged for transporting the products along at least part of the transport path 7. This transport path is defined between the product input and the product output and as mentioned, the conveyor means may consists of a timing belt or a conveyor chain or such.
The conventional conveyor means 110 use pushers 140. The system 100a, 100b, 100c, comprises a plurality of these pushers 140, which each are being arranged for pushing a product from the input to the output along the transport path.
The pushers 140 may be driven and configured such that one single pusher 140 pushes one single product, or that a pair of pushers 140 may be used to transport one single product, which is clamped or sandwiched between to pushers. The pushers 140 may also be driven and configured such that one single pusher 140 pushes multiple products, i.e. a group of products, or that a pair of pushers 140 may be used to transport such a group. The pushers in such examples may have a certain mutual spacing or distance between them which is larger than the product, to ease loading of the product near the infeed, and once loaded, the pusher pair may decrease the mutual spacing to clamp or sandwich the product between the pushers 140 for more control and allowing faster movement and acceleration in the transport. Preferably however, the pushers may also be stopped temporarily to ease loading.
The system 100a, 100b, 100c is a closed loop system. What that means is, that each of the pushers, when arriving at the product output 152 or outfeed 152, is returned back to the product input 151 or infeed 151. The return is arranged over a return path R which is opposite of the transport path T and disposed on the bottom side of the system 100.
Besides the conveyor means 110 the system 100a, 100b, 100c has at least one but preferably two linear drive systems 120, 130. The first linear drive system or linear drive transport means 120 is located at the first end or start of the transport system, e.g. near the product input, and the second linear drive transport means 130 is located at the opposite end or second end of the transport system, e.g. near the product output.
Where the conveyor means are configured for transport of the products at fixed speed and fixed mutual spacing, the linear drive transport means 120, 130 are designed for individual control each product by individual control of each pusher 140.
Each linear drive transport means or system 130, 140 comprises several components, e.g. a magnetic track 121, 131, and magnetically driven movers 122, 123.
In particular the magnetic track may consists of a rail which is passive and acts as guiding means to guide the movers, and motor units to actively drive the movers.
The system 100a, 100b, 100c, is configured in such a way that the transport path is defined by the conveyor means 110, and both the first 120 and second 130 linear drive system or also referred to as linear drive transport means. Thus during part of the path T the pushers push the products which are driven by the conveyor means, and part of the path by the first linear drive transport means 120, and part of the path by the second linear drive transport means 130.
Preferably, the first part of the transport path 7, near the product input, the transport is provided by the first linear drive transport means 120, and near the product output, at the second part of the transport path 7 the transport is provided by the second linear drive transport means 130. Between the first and second part, the transport is provided by the conveyor means, such that individual control can be achieved at the begin and end of the path 7, upon hand-over from and to devices upstream and downstream, preferably most, and the remaining part of the transport path is being provided by the conventional, more simplistic, easier to control and cheaper transport means of the conveyor means 110, which does not allow individual control of speed and pitch.
The hybrid combination of both conventional conveyor means and flexible and dynamic linear drive transport means can be embodied in several manners.
In Fig. 1 and 2, a first embodiment of the system 1004 is shown in which the conventional conveyor means 110 are combined with two linear drive transport means 120, 130. This embodiment comprises one single track or rails which is shared between the conveyor means 110 and the linear drive transport means 120 and 130.
The system is further provided with two sections of, meaning that at the first part of the transport path 7 near the product infeed and at the second part of the transport path T near the product outfeed, motor units of a linear drive system. The motor units 122, 132 are provided at those parts of the path T that require dynamic control, and the conveyor means, e.g. a timing belt, conveyor belt, or conveyor chain is provided in between 110 where dynamic speed is not required and constant speed is sufficient.
The embodiment shown in Fig. 1 and 2 comprise a continues rail or track in which part of the rail is provided with motor units 122, 132 of the first linear drive transport means 120 and part of the rail is comprised of motor units of the second linear drive transport means 130. For these sections the pushers 140 are driven by the movers of the linear drive transport means 120, 130. At the rail section in between these linear drive means, the pushers are driven by the conveyor means 110. Hence, there is one closed loop track consisting of both linear drive means track sections and conveyor track sections and the movers are shared between the sections and thus between the conveyor and linear drive means. Accordingly, each pushers 140 has a corresponding mover 122, 132 of the linear drive transport system 120, 130. The pusher and mover form a pair which correspond along the whole transport path 7 and transport a product or group of products from the product input to the product output.
As such, each of the pairs of pusher and corresponding mover is being shared between the conveyor means, and the first and second linear drive transport means. As can be seen in the Fig. 1 and 2, the first linear drive means 120 comprise a magnetic track section consisting of a few sections of motor units and rails. The second linear drive means 130 comprise a magnetic track section as well also consisting of a few sections of motor units and rails. Both these sections are C-shaped and inverse C-shaped, of which the free ends or legs are connected by sections of the conveyor means. As such, the linear drive transport systems and the conveyor means are intergraded by the tracks.
In Fig. 2 details are shown of the different stages of transporting a group of products such as crackers or biscuits in between two pushers 140 of the system 100a. The pushers are, once the products are loaded, moved towards each other such that the products are held in position for transport along the transport path, consisting of a forward transport path 7 and a return path R. In Fig. 2a the products are held in position and gripped between the two pushers 140 and the pair of pushers 140 is driven by the timingbelt or other type of conventional conveyor means 110 having elements to engage with the pushers 140. The pushers in this embodiment are, as explained, attached to the movers of the linear drive transport system 120, 130 and are shared between these two systems 120, 130. In Fig. 2b the first pusher and mover is clocked in into the magnetic track section of the second linear drive system 130 such that the motor segments thereof can drive the corresponding mover and corresponding pusher. In Fig. 2c also the second pusher and mover pair engage with the second linear drive transport system 130 and thus with the magnetic track section for being driven by the motor segments thereof. In Fig. 2d finally both pushers and movers are fully engaged on the second linear drive transport system 130. As the position and speed of each mover of the linear drive transport system 120, 130 may be controlled individually, these can be controlled in such a way that these are synchronized to the movement of the pushers when these are driven by the conveyor means 110. Thus, the linear drive transport system synchronizes to the conveyer, not the other way round.
In Fig. 3 and 4, a second embodiment of the system 100b is shown in which the conventional conveyor means 110 are combined with two linear drive transport means 120, 130. This embodiment comprises two separate, closed loop linear drive transport systems 120, 130, and a single closed loop conveyor in between and integrated at the begin and end of the conveyor 110. In this embodiment the transport path 7 is thus formed by three separate closed loop tracks. In this embodiment, both of the linear drive transport means have their own dedicated movers which are powered by the motor sections of the magnetic track 121, 131. The pushers 140 however are shared between the three sections and thus there is a handover from the pusher which is for one section of the path 7 driven by a mover of the first linear drive transport means 120, onto the conveyor means 110, and from the conveyor means 110 the pusher is handed-over to a mover of the second linear drive transport means 130. As the conveyor has a fixed speed, the synchronisation lies with the movers of the linear drive transport means. These are timed or matched in such a way that the movers may be provided with engaging means to engage the passive pushers shortly before the end of the conveyor and to vice versa disengage shortly after the conveyor has taken over. The engaging means may for example be constructed as finger or pin, as shown in Fig. 3 and 4, which engages with the pusher 140.
In Fig. 4a and a detail thereof in Fig. 4b show further details of the second embodiment 100b of the present system 100 in which there are two separate linear drive transport systems 120, 130 and a conveyor means 110 such as a timing belt in between these systems, and in which the pushers 140 are exchanged between the linear drive transport systems 120, 130 and the conveyor means 110.
In Fig. 5 and 8, a third embodiment of the system 300 is shown in which the conventional conveyor means 110 are combined with two linear drive transport means 120, 130. This embodiment comprises a continuous rail with pushers 140 and two linear drive transport means which are positioned adjacent and parallel to the conveyor means 110. In this embodiment the linear drive transport means also provide the dynamic and individual transport, whereas the conveyor provides the fixed transport for the longest section in between the dynamic section. Thus, the linear drive transport means 120, 130 have closed loop track sections with motor units and dedicated movers 121, 131. The movers do not exit the track sections or rails (and in particular the motor segments thereof) of their own transport means 120, 130, contrary to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 and 2 in which these are shared between both means 120, 130 and in the mover exit the motor sections for only being party present.
In Fig. 5 and 6 the movers are synchronized to the pushers of the conveyor means such that a smooth engagement is achieved. Although this embodiment requires, when compared to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1 and 2, extra rails or track sections, as the linear drive transport means are closed loop systems comprising all parts of the system, the control of these means is less complex as there are no movers shared between both by which addressing of entering and exiting movers from the track is not required, as in the embodiment of Fig. 1 and 2.
In Fig. 8a-d details are shown of the different stages of transporting a group of products such as crackers or biscuits in between two pushers 140 of the system 100c. The pushers are, once the products are loaded, moved towards each other such that the products are held in position for transport along the transport path, consisting of a forward transport path 7 and a return path R. In Fig. 6a the products are held in position and gripped between the two pushers 140 and the pair of pushers 140 is driven by the timingbelt or other type of conventional conveyor means 110 having elements to engage with the pushers 140. The pushers in this embodiment are, as explained, attached to the movers of the linear drive transport system 120, 130 when these are located near these systems 120, 130 and attached to the conveyor means 110 in between the two systems 120, 130. Hence, the system 100c in this embodiment has a closed loop conveyor 110 and two complete closed loop linear drive transport systems 120, 130 which are positioned parallel.
In Fig. 6b the first pusher and mover enters or engages the magnetic track section of the second linear drive system 130 such that the motor segments thereof can drive the corresponding mover and corresponding pusher. In Fig. 6c also the second pusher and mover pair engage with the second linear drive transport system 130 and thus with the magnetic track section for being driven by the motor segments thereof. In Fig. 6d finally both pushers and movers are fully engaged on the second linear drive transport system 130. As the position and speed of each mover of the linear drive transport system 120, 130 may be controlled individually, these can be controlled in such a way that these are synchronized to the movement of the pushers when these are driven by the conveyor means 110. Thus, the linear drive transport system synchronizes to the conveyor, not the other way round.
Based on the above description, a skilled person may provide modifications and additions to the method and arrangement disclosed, which modifications and additions are all comprised by the scope of the appended claims.
It will be clear that the intention of the above description is to shed light on the working of possible embodiments of the present invention, and not to limit the scope of protection of the invention. Starting from the description, a person skilled in the art is able to conceive of and use various embodiments that fall within the inventive concept and scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims (15)

CONCLUSIESCONCLUSIONS 1. Transportsysteem voor het transporteren van een of meer producten van een eerste uiteinde van het transportsysteem naar het tweede uiteinde van het transportsysteem, waarbij het systeem omvat: - een transportmiddel voor het transporteren van de producten langs ten minste een deel van een transportbaan, waarbij het transportbaan wordt gedefinieerd van het eerste uiteinde naar het tweede uiteinde van het transportsysteem, waarbij het transportmiddel bij voorkeur een tandriem of een transportketting omvat; - een veelheid duwers, waarbij elke duwer is ingericht om de één of meer producten langs ten minste een deel van de transportbaan te duwen, waarbij het transportsysteem een gesloten lussysteem is waarin elke duwer bij aankomst bij het tweede uiteinde wordt teruggevoerd naar het eerste uiteinde van het transportsysteem langs een retourpad dat tegenover de transportbaan ligt, waarbij het transportsysteem verder omvat: - een eerste lineair aangedreven transportmiddel dat zich nabij het eerste uiteinde van het transportsysteem bevindt; - een tweede lineair aangedreven transportmiddel dat zich nabij het tweede uiteinde van het transportsysteem bevindt; waarbij de eerste en tweede lineaire aandrijftransportmiddelen een magnetische baan omvatten en magnetisch aangedreven transporteurs die zijn ingericht voor het aandrijven van de duwers langs de magnetische baan; waarbij het transportsysteem zodanig is geconfigureerd dat tijdens een eerste deel van de transportbaan nabij het eerste uiteinde de duwers worden aangedreven door de transporteur langs de magnetische baan van het eerste lineaire aandrijftransportmiddel voor individuele regeling van de snelheid en onderlinge afstand van de duwers, en waarbij het transportsysteem verder zodanig is geconfigureerd dat tijdens een tweede deel van de transportbaan nabij het tweede uiteinde de duwers worden aangedreven door de transporteurs langs de magnetische baan van het tweede lineaire aandrijftransportmiddel voor individuele regeling van de snelheid en onderlinge afstand van de duwers, en waarbij tijdens een tussenliggend deel tussen het eerste en tweede deel van de transportbaan de duwers worden aangedreven door de transportmiddelen voor het aandrijven van de duwers met een vaste snelheid en vaste onderlinge afstand.1. Transport system for transporting one or more products from a first end of the transport system to the second end of the transport system, wherein the system comprises: - a transport means for transporting the products along at least part of a transport track, wherein the conveyor track is defined from the first end to the second end of the conveyor system, wherein the conveyor means preferably comprises a toothed belt or a conveyor chain; - a plurality of pushers, wherein each pusher is adapted to push the one or more products along at least a part of the conveyor track, wherein the transport system is a closed loop system in which each pusher is returned to the first end of the conveyor upon arrival at the second end the transport system along a return path opposite the transport path, wherein the transport system further comprises: - a first linearly driven transport means located near the first end of the transport system; - a second linearly driven transport means located near the second end of the transport system; wherein the first and second linear drive transport means comprise a magnetic track and magnetically driven conveyors adapted to drive the pushers along the magnetic track; wherein the conveyor system is configured such that during a first part of the conveyor path near the first end the pushers are driven by the conveyor along the magnetic path of the first linear drive conveyor means for individual control of the speed and mutual spacing of the pushers, and wherein it transport system is further configured such that during a second part of the transport path near the second end the pushers are driven by the conveyors along the magnetic path of the second linear drive transport means for individual control of the speed and mutual distance of the pushers, and wherein during a intermediate part between the first and second part of the conveyor track, the pushers are driven by the transport means for driving the pushers at a fixed speed and fixed mutual distance. 2. Transportsysteem volgens conclusie 1, verder omvattende: - één of meer laadrobots, die zich bevinden bij een productinvoer die zich langs een deel van de transportbaan bevindt, waarbij de productinvoer in het bijzonder is gelegen langs het eerste lineaire aandrijftransportmiddel dat zich bevindt nabij het eerste uiteinde van het transportsysteem, of langs het transportmiddel gelegen bij het tussenliggende deel tussen het eerste en het tweede deel van de transportbaan.2. Transport system according to claim 1, further comprising: - one or more loading robots, which are located at a product input located along a part of the conveyor path, wherein the product input is located in particular along the first linear drive transport means located near the first end of the transport system, or along the transport means located at the intermediate part between the first and the second part of the transport track. 3. Transportsysteem volgens conclusie 2, verder omvattende: - productdragerlaadmiddelen, geplaatst langs de transportbaan voor de één of meer laadrobots, ingericht voor het laden van productdragers, trays, in de transportbaan voor het ondersteunen van één of meer van de producten in de trays.3. Transport system according to claim 2, further comprising: - product carrier loading means, placed along the transport path for the one or more loading robots, designed for loading product carriers, trays, into the transport path for supporting one or more of the products in the trays. 4. Transportsysteem volgens conclusie 1, 2 of 3, waarbij elk van de duwers een corresponderende transporteur van een lineair aangedreven transportmiddel omvat, waarbij elk van het paar duwers en de corresponderende transporteur gedeeld wordt tussen de transportmiddelen, de eerste lineaire aandrijftransportmiddelen en de tweede lineaire aandrijftransportmiddelen.4. Conveyor system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein each of the pushers comprises a corresponding conveyor of a linear drive conveyor means, wherein each of the pair of pushers and the corresponding conveyor is shared between the conveyor means, the first linear drive conveyor means and the second linear drive transport means. 5. Transportsysteem volgens conclusie 4, waarbij het eerste lineair aangedreven transportmiddel tenminste gedeeltelijk is geïntegreerd in de transportband aan het eerste uiteinde van het transportsysteem, en het tweede lineair aangedreven transportmiddel tenminste gedeeltelijk is geïntegreerd in de tandriem aan het tweede uiteinde van het transportsysteem.5. Transport system according to claim 4, wherein the first linearly driven transport means is at least partly integrated in the conveyor belt at the first end of the transport system, and the second linearly driven transport means is at least partly integrated in the toothed belt at the second end of the transport system. 6. Transportsysteem volgens conclusie 5, waarbij de integratie van de eerste en tweede lineaire aandrijftransportmiddelen is gedefinieerd als de transportbaan om een deel van de magnetische baan van de eerste en tweede lineaire aandrijftransportmiddelen te omvatten, evenals de tandriem, en waarbij de transporteurs worden overgebracht van het deel van het magnetische baan van het eerste transportmiddel voor lineaire aandrijving naar de transportband en van de transportband naar het deel van de magnetische baan van het tweede transportmiddel voor lineaire aandrijving.A conveyor system according to claim 5, wherein the integration of the first and second linear drive conveyors is defined as the conveyor path to include part of the magnetic path of the first and second linear drive conveyors, as well as the toothed belt, and wherein the conveyors are transferred from the part of the magnetic path from the first conveyor for linear drive to the conveyor belt and from the conveyor belt to the part of the magnetic path from the second conveyor for linear drive. 7. Transportsysteem volgens een van de conclusies 4-6, waarbij de magnetische baan van de eerste en tweede lineaire aandrijftransportmiddelen een magnetische baan met open lus omvatten.7. Conveyor system according to any one of claims 4-6, wherein the magnetic path of the first and second linear drive transport means comprise an open loop magnetic path. 8. Transportsysteem volgens conclusie 1, 2 of 3, waarbij de eerste en tweede lineair aangedreven transportmiddelen speciale transporteurs omvatten.8. Transport system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first and second linearly driven transport means comprise special conveyors. 9. Transportsysteem volgens conclusie 8, waarbij het eerste lineair aangedreven transportmiddel tenminste gedeeltelijk evenwijdig aan de transportband aan het eerste uiteinde van het transportsysteem is gepositioneerd en het tweede lineair aangedreven transportmiddel tenminste gedeeltelijk evenwijdig aan het transportsysteem is gepositioneerd, nabij het tweede uiteinde van het transportsysteem.9. Transport system according to claim 8, wherein the first linearly driven transport means is positioned at least partly parallel to the conveyor belt at the first end of the transport system and the second linearly driven transport means is positioned at least partly parallel to the transport system, near the second end of the transport system . 10. Transportsysteem volgens conclusie 9, waarbij de positionering van de eerste tweede lineaire aandrijftransportmiddelen evenwijdig aan de transportband is gedefinieerd als de transportbaan om een afzonderlijke transportband te omvatten, een afzonderlijk deel van een magnetische baan van de eerste en tweede lineaire aandrijftransportmiddelen, en waarbij elk van de eerste en tweede lineaire aandrijftransportmiddelen en de transportband speciale transporteurs heeft, welke transporteurs van de eerste en tweede lineaire aandrijftransportmiddelen zijn opgesteld om aan te grijpen op de transporteurs van de transportband.A conveyor system according to claim 9, wherein the positioning of the first second linear drive conveyor means parallel to the conveyor belt is defined as the conveyor path to include a separate conveyor belt, a separate part of a magnetic path from the first and second linear drive conveyor means, and wherein each of the first and second linear drive conveyor means and the conveyor belt has special conveyors, which conveyors of the first and second linear drive conveyor means are arranged to engage with the conveyors of the conveyor belt. 11. Transportsysteem volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, waarbij de transporteurs aangrijpmiddelen omvatten voor het aangrijpen op het transportmiddel, en bij voorkeur het ontkoppelen van het transportmiddel.11. Transport system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyors comprise engaging means for engaging the transport means, and preferably uncoupling from the transport means. 12. Het transportsysteem volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, waarbij het systeem verder regelmiddelen omvat voor het regelen van de timing van de transporteurs van de eerste en tweede lineaire aandrijfmiddelen en de timing van de transportmiddelen, voor het synchroniseren van de timing tussen de eerste lineaire aandrijfmiddelen, en de transportmiddelen, en de tweede lineaire aandrijfmiddelen en de transportmiddelen.The conveyor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system further comprises control means for controlling the timing of the conveyors of the first and second linear drive means and the timing of the conveying means, for synchronizing the timing between the first linear drive means drive means, and the transport means, and the second linear drive means and the transport means. 13. Transportsysteem volgens conclusie 12, waarbij de besturingsmiddelen een of meer van encodermiddelen, sensormiddelen, visionmiddelen en communicatiemiddelen omvatten.13. Transport system according to claim 12, wherein the control means comprise one or more of encoder means, sensor means, vision means and communication means. 14. Transportsysteem volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, waarbij het transportsysteem is ingericht voor het inbrengen van de een of meer producten nabij de productuitvoer in een transportmiddel van een verpakkingsinrichting.14. Transport system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the transport system is designed for introducing the one or more products near the product output into a transport means of a packaging device. 15. Transportsysteem volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, waarbij het transportsysteem is ingericht voor integratie met een transportmiddel van een verpakkingsinrichting, en waarbij het transportmiddel een van de transportband, een tweede lineair aangedreven transportmiddel of een ander transportmiddel is.15. Transport system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the transport system is designed for integration with a transport means of a packaging device, and wherein the transport means is one of the conveyor belt, a second linearly driven transport means or another transport means.
NL2032479A 2022-07-13 2022-07-13 Transport system for transporting one or more products NL2032479B1 (en)

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Citations (4)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102008040204A1 (en) * 2008-07-07 2010-01-14 Robert Bosch Gmbh Transport device for use in horizontal tubular bag packaging machine for transporting e.g. pouch, has linear drive with linear route sections arranged parallel to conveying regions, and curved conveying regions formed in non-driven manner
US20130119897A1 (en) * 2011-11-16 2013-05-16 Jacobs Automation Llc Controlled Motion System
DE102014214107A1 (en) * 2013-08-26 2015-02-26 Robert Bosch Gmbh transport device
JP6032418B2 (en) * 2013-01-08 2016-11-30 澁谷工業株式会社 Linear conveyor

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102008040204A1 (en) * 2008-07-07 2010-01-14 Robert Bosch Gmbh Transport device for use in horizontal tubular bag packaging machine for transporting e.g. pouch, has linear drive with linear route sections arranged parallel to conveying regions, and curved conveying regions formed in non-driven manner
US20130119897A1 (en) * 2011-11-16 2013-05-16 Jacobs Automation Llc Controlled Motion System
JP6032418B2 (en) * 2013-01-08 2016-11-30 澁谷工業株式会社 Linear conveyor
DE102014214107A1 (en) * 2013-08-26 2015-02-26 Robert Bosch Gmbh transport device

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