US20040123561A1 - Device for withdrawing single objects form a feeder and for regularly spacing out said objects - Google Patents

Device for withdrawing single objects form a feeder and for regularly spacing out said objects Download PDF

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Publication number
US20040123561A1
US20040123561A1 US10/735,031 US73503103A US2004123561A1 US 20040123561 A1 US20040123561 A1 US 20040123561A1 US 73503103 A US73503103 A US 73503103A US 2004123561 A1 US2004123561 A1 US 2004123561A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
objects
conveying
protrusions
conveying belt
withdrawing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US10/735,031
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English (en)
Inventor
Giuseppe Monti
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Marchesini Group SpA
Original Assignee
Marchesini Group SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Marchesini Group SpA filed Critical Marchesini Group SpA
Assigned to MARCHESINI GROUP S.P.A. reassignment MARCHESINI GROUP S.P.A. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MONTI, GIUSEPPE
Publication of US20040123561A1 publication Critical patent/US20040123561A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67B—APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS
    • B67B3/00—Closing bottles, jars or similar containers by applying caps
    • B67B3/02—Closing bottles, jars or similar containers by applying caps by applying flanged caps, e.g. crown caps, and securing by deformation of flanges
    • B67B3/06—Feeding caps to capping heads
    • 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
    • B65B7/00—Closing containers or receptacles after filling
    • B65B7/16—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons
    • B65B7/28—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers
    • B65B7/2807—Feeding closures
    • 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
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/02—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors
    • B65G47/04—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles
    • B65G47/06—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines
    • B65G47/08—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines spacing or grouping the articles during feeding
    • B65G47/084—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines spacing or grouping the articles during feeding grouping articles in a predetermined 2-dimensional pattern
    • B65G47/088—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines spacing or grouping the articles during feeding grouping articles in a predetermined 2-dimensional pattern cylindrical articles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to apparatuses for automatic or semi-automatic filling of receptacles, containers and/or bottles with products, their closing by the application of at least one cap of the type suitable to the type of product contained therein, and then packaging in a corresponding suitable package.
  • the present invention relates to a device, which can withdraw single objects from a feeder, ordering and spacing them out regularly, and which is situated between a bottle filling station and a station for closing the bottles with relative caps.
  • the present invention relates to a device, which is capable of withdrawing, from feeding means, caps and stoppers, spacing them regularly one from another.
  • the bottles, filled at a filling station are conveyed by a conveying line leading to a cap outlet channel.
  • the bottles are arranged in a row, one after another, on the conveying line, while the caps feeding means usually include hoppers or vibrating bowls.
  • the vibrating bowls convey the caps disposing them in accordance with a same orientation, for example with their mouth turned downwards, and arranging them in a row one after another in the outlet channel.
  • the outlet channel features suitable holding means, for example a pre-loaded spring, which hold temporarily the row of caps in the channel until withdrawal thereof.
  • suitable holding means for example a pre-loaded spring, which hold temporarily the row of caps in the channel until withdrawal thereof.
  • the conveying line is oriented in such a way, as to convey the bottles toward the terminal section of the outlet channel, so that the necks of the bottles are brought to pass at the terminal section of the outlet channel.
  • the coupling of the cap with the bottle only depends on the speed and type of operation of the conveying line, whose movement is subjected to the operation rate of the working stations before and after the station in which the cap is coupled with the bottle neck.
  • the object of the present invention is to propose a device, which is capable of withdrawing single objects from a feeder, in particular which is capable of withdrawing single caps and/or stoppers from relative feeding means, and of transferring them in an orderly way, spacing them regularly apart in a robotized manipulation station.
  • Another object of the present invention is to propose a device, which can withdraw single objects from a feeder, spacing them regularly one from another, and transfer them to a robotized manipulation station beside respective bottles, with which they are to be coupled and which are conveyed to the manipulation station by a relative conveying line.
  • a further object of the present invention is to propose a device, which can withdraw single objects from a feeder and space them regularly out, at the same distance corresponding to the distance between the necks of the subsequent bottles placed on the relative conveying line.
  • a still further object of the present invention is to propose a device, which can arrange and position with high precision, in a manipulation station, the caps beside relative bottles in such an order and configuration, that it is possible to use robotized means to perform coupling step, thus making the coupling operation independent from the operation way and from the type of the bottles conveying line.
  • a yet further object of the present invention is to propose a device, which can withdraw and position with high precision caps of complicated shape in a manipulation station.
  • a device for withdrawing single objects from a feeder and for regularly spacing out said objects with said feeder including an outlet channel, along which said objects are conveyed, arranged in the same way and in a row one after another, with a terminal section of said channel being equipped with holding means, aimed at stopping the foremost object of said row of objects, so as to temporarily hold said foremost object inside said channel;
  • said device including:
  • carrier means aimed at hitting and catching said foremost object in said terminal section of said channel
  • withdrawing means for conveying said carrier means to pass through said terminal section, for hitting and catching said foremost object, and for withdrawing said foremost object from said outlet channel, and capable of overcoming the contrast action of said holding means, which results in forward movement of said row of objects until a subsequent foremost object, to be withdrawn, is stopped by said holding means, and
  • conveying means for the withdrawn objects operatively connected to said withdrawing means for directing and arranging the objects regularly spaced out along the same conveying direction and for conveying the equidistantly set objects to a manipulation station.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of the device proposed by the invention, as a whole;
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic prospective exploded view of significant elements of the proposed device
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic, lateral enlarged view of the particular indicated with reference letter K in FIG. 2.
  • the reference letter D indicates the device for withdrawing single objects 10 from a feeder A and for spacing them regularly, as proposed by the present invention, as a whole.
  • the objects 10 can be for example caps aimed at being coupled with corresponding containers F (receptacles, bottles, etc.), which are situated on a conveying line L of an automatic or semi-automatic apparatus for filling the containers with a product (or a plurality of products) and for packaging the filled containers in relative packages.
  • containers F receptacles, bottles, etc.
  • the feeder A includes for example a hopper or a vibrating bowl containing thereinside, in bulk, the caps which are to be coupled with the necks of the bottles F, which are arranged in a row one after another, on a conveying line L.
  • the vibrating bowl A is equipped with an outlet channel C, along which the caps 10 are conveyed, oriented in the same way (for example with their mouths turned downwards), and arranged one after another.
  • the terminal section CU of the outlet channel C (see for example FIG. 3) is equipped with holding means R, e.g. a pre-loaded spring, aimed at stopping the foremost cap 11 of the row of caps 10 conveyed from the vibrating bowl A inside the outlet channel C, so as to temporarily hold the caps thereinside.
  • holding means R e.g. a pre-loaded spring
  • the device D proposed by the invention aims at withdrawing single and subsequent caps from the outlet channel C and at arranging them in equidistant configuration, and at conveying the withdrawn and regularly spaced apart caps 12 to a manipulation station, so as to allow the use of a robotized handling device to couple them with the necks of the bottles situated on the conveying line.
  • the device D includes carrier means 3 aimed at hitting and catching the foremost cap 11 situated at the terminal section CU of the outlet channel (FIG. 3).
  • Withdrawing means are aimed at conveying the carrier means 3 through the terminal section CU, in order to make them hit and catch the foremost cap 11 and withdraw it from the outlet channel, so that the contrast action of the holding means is overcome with consequent forward movement of the row of caps 10 inside the channel, until a next foremost cap, to be withdrawn, goes in abutment against the holding means R.
  • Conveying means 5 are connected to the withdrawing means 4 and set the withdrawn objects in order spacing them regularly apart along a conveying direction S and convey them to a manipulation station SA (shown with broken line in FIG. 1).
  • the carrier 3 include a plurality of protrusions 30 , whose shape is complementary to the caps mouths.
  • the conveying means 5 include an endless conveying belt 50 , which supports the equidistant protrusions 30 , spaced apart by a predetermined distance preferably corresponding to the distance between the necks of consecutive bottles F situated on the conveying line L.
  • the withdrawing means include means (for example pulleys) for driving the conveying belt 50 .
  • the conveying line 1 conveys the bottles F to the manipulation station SA: in this case, in order to optimize the layout of the bottles packaging apparatus, the conveying belt 50 is advantageously situated in such a way that it extends beside, for example parallel, to the conveying line and to have the initial portion of the active upper run in the terminal station CU of the outlet channel C of the vibrating bowl. The final portion of the upper run is situated in the manipulation station SA.
  • the conveying belt 50 conveys the caps 12 , withdrawn from the outlet channel C and regularly spaced apart by the relative protrusions 30 , to the manipulation station SA.
  • the conveying line L conveys the bottles F, situated thereon one after another, to the manipulation station SA.
  • the conveying belt 50 and the conveying line L are operated in mutual step relation, so as to position respectively the caps 12 in registry with bottles F in the manipulation station SA, as shown in detail in FIG. 1.
  • the conveying belt 50 is aimed at being operated stepwise, in accordance with the corresponding stepwise operation of the conveying line.
  • the conveying belt 50 places a group of four equidistant caps 12 in the manipulation station SA, while the conveying line L places there a group of four bottles F arranged in row one after another.
  • the robotized handling device 7 picks up, transfers and couples the caps with the bottles necks completely autonomously with respect to the conveying line L and in a rapid and precise way.
  • the robotized handling device 7 includes suitable picking up means 71 , which are supported by a relative working head 72 and which are aimed at picking up the group of four caps from the conveying belt 50 , at transferring them above the conveying line L in a region above the group of four bottles, and at coupling the caps to the bottles.
  • Sensor means are also situated in the manipulation station SA, interfaced with the robotized handling device 7 .
  • the sensor means are aimed at checking the exact matching of the reciprocal position between the group of four caps and the relative group of four bottles.
  • the robotized handling device 7 is activated to couple the caps with the bottles.
  • the conveying belt is activated to place a subsequent group of other four caps in the manipulation station SA.
  • the proposed device D includes, as in the embodiment shown in the enclosed figures, two conveying belts 50 , arranged side by side and aimed at passing by the respective terminal sections of as many outlet channels of corresponding vibrating bowls A.
  • the two conveying belts 50 have a different longitudinal extension and they are equipped with respective protrusions of different shapes: the protrusions of the conveying belt aimed at withdrawing the stoppers are suitable for hitting the stoppers mouths, while the protrusions of the conveying belt aimed at withdrawing caps have the shape complementary to the caps mouths.
  • the proposed device is also versatile because it can be easily adapted to different types and shapes of the bottles necks simply due to the use of separate conveying belts, interchangeable between their operating pulleys 4 and equipped with protrusions, whose shape is complementary and corresponds to the type of cap, even of complicated shape, to be coupled with the bottle neck.
  • the protrusions are equidistant by a distance corresponding to the distance between the necks of subsequent bottles arranged on the conveying line.
  • the device proposed by the present invention allows in an efficient and functional way, to withdraw, from a relative feeder outlet channel, a group of caps and regularly space the withdrawn caps apart, sending and positioning them in a manipulation station, in which a robotized handling device can be used to couple the caps with relative bottles positioned on a conveying line, in an extremely rapid and reliable way.
  • conveying equidistant caps to a suitable manipulation station allows advantageously to use suitable sensor means to check the matching between the group of caps and the relative group of bottles to which the caps are to be coupled, before the robotized handling device activation.
  • This checking allows to avoid, advantageously with respect to the prior art apparatuses, conveying bottles without the relative caps, which would be inevitably rejected, to the closing and packaging station.
  • the proposed device is obtained by a technical solution, which is reliable and functional in any working and operating conditions, and with a limited number of cheap elements.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Attitude Control For Articles On Conveyors (AREA)
US10/735,031 2002-12-13 2003-12-12 Device for withdrawing single objects form a feeder and for regularly spacing out said objects Abandoned US20040123561A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000786A ITBO20020786A1 (it) 2002-12-13 2002-12-13 Dispositivo per estrarre singolarmente articoli da
ITBO2002A000786 2002-12-13

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20040123561A1 true US20040123561A1 (en) 2004-07-01

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/735,031 Abandoned US20040123561A1 (en) 2002-12-13 2003-12-12 Device for withdrawing single objects form a feeder and for regularly spacing out said objects

Country Status (3)

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US (1) US20040123561A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP1431180A1 (fr)
IT (1) ITBO20020786A1 (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090255948A1 (en) * 2008-04-14 2009-10-15 Loris Bassani Container filling machine having vibration trays
US20100133066A1 (en) * 2008-12-02 2010-06-03 Count Lab, Inc. Discrete article spacing apparatus for vibration trays
US7956623B2 (en) 2007-02-16 2011-06-07 Countlab, Inc Container filling machine
US20120110952A1 (en) * 2009-06-03 2012-05-10 Steelco Spa Machine and method for treating containers of liquids, and loading device for said containers
US10577186B2 (en) 2011-08-18 2020-03-03 Countlab, Inc. Container filling machine

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITBO20060261A1 (it) * 2006-04-07 2007-10-08 Marchesini Group Spa Dispositivo per l'alimentazione di articoli, in particolare tappi, ad una stazione di prelievo intermittente degli articoli medesimi
ITBO20080778A1 (it) * 2008-12-23 2010-06-24 Moussavi Alireza Ditta Individuale Macchina lineare per il dosaggio di fluidi in contenitori
CN106241314B (zh) * 2016-09-06 2018-07-06 广州达意隆包装机械股份有限公司 一种理盖装置

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2518857A (en) * 1946-12-10 1950-08-15 Anchor Hocking Glass Corp Apparatus for sealing containers
US3012388A (en) * 1958-10-23 1961-12-12 Anchor Hocking Glass Corp Means for sealing threaded-type containers
US3282025A (en) * 1963-04-26 1966-11-01 Lily Tulin Cup Corp High speed capping machine
US3289383A (en) * 1964-01-27 1966-12-06 Anchor Hocking Glass Corp Method and means for feeding caps
US3438174A (en) * 1965-02-11 1969-04-15 Anchor Hocking Glass Corp Container sealing machine
US3977161A (en) * 1975-07-28 1976-08-31 Anchor Hocking Corporation Closure cap feed chute with automatic cap stop
US4528796A (en) * 1983-02-08 1985-07-16 E. P. Remy Et Cie Apparatus for automatic filling and closing of containers
US4901504A (en) * 1987-04-13 1990-02-20 Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Filling and casing system
US5054260A (en) * 1990-06-13 1991-10-08 Anchor Hocking Packaging Company High speed sealing machine
US5400574A (en) * 1992-06-26 1995-03-28 Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A. System for feeding and packing products in pillow pack wrappings
US6341472B1 (en) * 1997-07-01 2002-01-29 Gea Finnah Gmbh Method and facility for sealing bottles with sterile sealing caps

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1167993A (fr) * 1956-10-27 1958-12-03 Dispositif pour la pose et la fixation automatiques de couvercles sur des boîtes
FR2675463A1 (fr) * 1991-04-17 1992-10-23 Scheidegger Albert Dispositif pour distribuer des coiffes thermoretractables sur des recipients en deplacement.
DE4325843A1 (de) * 1993-07-31 1995-02-02 Bosch Gmbh Robert Vorrichtung zum Verschließen von Behältern mit Verschlußkappen

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2518857A (en) * 1946-12-10 1950-08-15 Anchor Hocking Glass Corp Apparatus for sealing containers
US3012388A (en) * 1958-10-23 1961-12-12 Anchor Hocking Glass Corp Means for sealing threaded-type containers
US3282025A (en) * 1963-04-26 1966-11-01 Lily Tulin Cup Corp High speed capping machine
US3289383A (en) * 1964-01-27 1966-12-06 Anchor Hocking Glass Corp Method and means for feeding caps
US3438174A (en) * 1965-02-11 1969-04-15 Anchor Hocking Glass Corp Container sealing machine
US3977161A (en) * 1975-07-28 1976-08-31 Anchor Hocking Corporation Closure cap feed chute with automatic cap stop
US4528796A (en) * 1983-02-08 1985-07-16 E. P. Remy Et Cie Apparatus for automatic filling and closing of containers
US4901504A (en) * 1987-04-13 1990-02-20 Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Filling and casing system
US5054260A (en) * 1990-06-13 1991-10-08 Anchor Hocking Packaging Company High speed sealing machine
US5400574A (en) * 1992-06-26 1995-03-28 Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A. System for feeding and packing products in pillow pack wrappings
US6341472B1 (en) * 1997-07-01 2002-01-29 Gea Finnah Gmbh Method and facility for sealing bottles with sterile sealing caps

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7956623B2 (en) 2007-02-16 2011-06-07 Countlab, Inc Container filling machine
US20090255948A1 (en) * 2008-04-14 2009-10-15 Loris Bassani Container filling machine having vibration trays
US8006468B2 (en) 2008-04-14 2011-08-30 Countlab Inc. Container filling machine having vibration trays
US20100133066A1 (en) * 2008-12-02 2010-06-03 Count Lab, Inc. Discrete article spacing apparatus for vibration trays
US8225925B2 (en) 2008-12-02 2012-07-24 Countlab Inc. Discrete article spacing apparatus for vibration trays
US20120110952A1 (en) * 2009-06-03 2012-05-10 Steelco Spa Machine and method for treating containers of liquids, and loading device for said containers
US9027312B2 (en) * 2009-06-03 2015-05-12 Steelco Spa Machine and method for treating containers of liquids, and loading device for said containers
US10577186B2 (en) 2011-08-18 2020-03-03 Countlab, Inc. Container filling machine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1431180A1 (fr) 2004-06-23
ITBO20020786A1 (it) 2004-06-14

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: MARCHESINI GROUP S.P.A., ITALY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MONTI, GIUSEPPE;REEL/FRAME:014810/0767

Effective date: 20031209

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION