WO1998033730A1

WO1998033730A1 - Device for rotating products

Info

Publication number: WO1998033730A1
Application number: PCT/EP1998/000577
Authority: WO
Inventors: Leo Hubrecht; Jan Vanhoutte
Original assignee: E.P.V. Europäische Patentverwertungs Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1997-02-03
Filing date: 1998-01-30
Publication date: 1998-08-06
Also published as: AU6619498A; BE1010897A5

Abstract

A device for rotating products comprising a first (8) and a second product holder (9) movable according to a continuous path, which are respectively provided for taking along products (15) in a loading position and bringing them in a first position, respectively in a rotated second position to an unloading place. In another embodiment the device comprises a product holder (8, 9), which during a first revolution can bring to the unloading place a product in a first position, and during a second revolution a product in a second position. With these devices products can be automatically brought to an unloading place in two or more mutually diffeering positions, so that the formation of stable and/or symmetrical stacks or bundles of products with an irregular form or thickness can be performed without manual intervention.

Description

"Device for rotating products".

This invention relates to a device for rotating products provided with a product holder movable according to a continuous path, and provided for bringing products which are in a loading place in a loading position, to an unloading place in two rotated positions different in relation to each other.

This invention relates in particular to such a device which is provided for automatically and continuously moving identical products, which are fed to the loading position (for example on a conveyor belt) in a continuous flow in one and the same position (the loading position) , to the unloading place, and is provided for ensuring at the same time that products in a first position come to the unloading place, and other products in a second position (rotated in relation to the first position) arrive at the unloading place.

From the European patent applications nos. EP- 083559, EP-0101025, and EP-0124730 it appears that various devices exist for rotating products, which are provided for always in the same manner changing the position of a product during the movement of this product. The final position of the moved products is therefore always the same. In order to stack or bundle up products with an irregular form or thickness on top of one another it is often necessary in one and the same bundle or stack to provide products in a first position and products in a second position in order to be able to make a sufficiently high stable stack or bundle, and/or in order to obtain a stack or bundle with an as far as possible symmetrical form. Changing the position of the products is today often still manually performed.

On the one hand this increases the production costs and on the other hand this manual intervention often results in a considerable delay in an otherwise fully automated production process.

From DE-4117296 a device is known with a type of rotating plate for bringing a flow of products from a first conveyor belt to a second conveyor belt running in another direction. On the rotating plate engaging rollers are provided with which the orientation of the products can be changed. The thus obtained final position is the same for all products. The drive for these engaging rollers can be disengaged or altered so that the device can also be utilised for obtaining other final positions. For a specific adjustment of the device all products moved by the rotating plate will nevertheless still arrive on the second conveyor belt with the same final position. Changing the final positions will therefore not be able to be performed in a flexible manner. It is for example not possible to deliver a number of successive products alternately with a first and a second final position onto the second conveyor belt. From DE-1.931.878 a device is known with which products can be picked up from a first conveyor belt, and can be brought onto a second conveyor belt in a final position rotated through 90°. By disengaging the device the products can be brought with an unchanged orientation from the first to the second conveyor belt.

With this device only one product at a time can be moved and rotated. This device consequently has a rather limited capacity.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a device, with which the above indicated disadvantages are remedied.

This purpose is achieved by providing a device, with the characteristics mentioned in the first paragraph of this description, whereby the device is provided for automatically so changing the position of the product holder during the operation of the device that the products taken along in the course of several revolutions are brought to the unloading place respectively in a first position and in a second position rotated in relation to the first position. The intended purpose is also achieved by providing a device for rotating products with a first and a second product holder movable according to a continuous path, which are respectively provided for bringing products which are in a loading place in a loading position to an unloading place in two positions rotated in relation to each other, which according to this invention is provided for bringing the first and the second product holder in a different position at the unloading place, so that the products taken along by the first and the second product holder are respectively brought to the unloading place in a first position and in a second position rotated in relation to the first position.

With these devices successive products can be brought to the unloading place in two or more mutually differing positions fully automatically and without stopping the device, so that the formation of stable and/or symmetrical stacks or bundles of products with an irregular form or thickness can be performed without manual intervention.

Successive products can without stopping the device be moved by successive product holders (or successive revolutions of one and the same product holder) , so that they are brought into different final positions. The final position of each product can be individually determined by bringing the product holder in question into the desired position.

This device is therefore very flexible. This device can also comprise several product holders so that a high processing capacity is also achieved.

In preferred embodiments of the above described devices according to this invention the product holder(s) is/are so provided that alternately a product in the first position and a product in the second position can be brought to the unloading place.

With such a device the bundling or piling-up of products with an irregular form or thickness can be performed in a particularly efficient manner.

In another embodiment of the above described devices according to this invention the device comprises at least two product holders, which are rotatable about a respective axis, whereby these axes extend according to a mutually differing direction. Preferably each axis moreover runs almost according to one of the following:

- the axial direction of the continuous path

- the radial direction of the continuous path - the direction of a tangent to the continuous path.

These product holders can therefore rotate a product about various (hypothetical) rotation axes. The rotations can furthermore be performed through whatever angle, so that the products can be brought to the unloading place in a great number of different positions, and so that a great number of stack configurations are made possible.

According to a particular embodiment the direction of movement of the product holder(s) at the loading place differs from the direction of movement of the product holder(s) at the unloading place, while at least one product holder is provided for rotating in order so to change its orientation in relation to its direction of movement that a product taken along by this product holder is brought to the unloading place in a position which is almost identical to the aforementioned loading position.

With such a device the position of a product held by the aforementioned product holder will be changed at the unloading place if the product holder does not rotate. This changing of position is the result of the fact that the direction of movement of the product holder is changed, while the orientation of the product holder remains unchanged in relation to that direction of movement.

If the aforementioned product holder does conversely rotate in the above mentioned manner, then this changing of position is counteracted. Hence the device can also be used for moving products (without changing position) .

Preferably the device comprises a drive means for enabling all product holders to move according to a continuous path, while this same drive means is provided for rotating at least one product holder in the course of its movement between the loading place and the unloading place.

The fact that one and the same drive means can be used for the movement of the product holders and for the rotation of at least one product holder, makes the device less complex and less expensive.

With a most preferred embodiment according to this invention the device comprises a rotatably disposed central part with one or several arms extending in a radial direction, and each product holder is attached to a respective arm.

This device preferably comprises a rotatably disposed central part with at least two arms extending in a radial direction, while alternately a first and a second product holder is rotatably attached to the successive arms.

With a particularly preferred embodiment each first product holder is rotatable about a first axis which extends according to the aforementioned radial direction, and each second product holder is rotatable about a second axis which runs parallel to the rotation axis of the aforementioned central part.

Preferably each first product holder can be provided in order between the loading place and the unloading place, to rotate either almost a half turn about the aforementioned first axis, or to maintain a fixed position in relation to the arm to which it is attached, and each second product holder can be provided in order between the loading place and the unloading place, to rotate either almost a half turn about the aforementioned second axis, or to maintain a fixed position in relation to the arm to which it is attached.

The invention will now be further explained in the following nonrestrictive description of a preferred embodiment of the device for rotating products according to this invention. In this description reference is made to the figures attached hereto, of which figure 1 is a perspective drawing of the device figure 2 represents the device in perspective in three successive operating positions, to illustrate the rotation of a first product holder of the device. figure 3 shows in perspective how a rotating first product holder of the device brings products into a position which differs from the loading position figure 4 represents the device in perspective in three successive operating positions, to illustrate the rotation of a second product holder of the device figure 5 shows in perspective how a rotating second product holder of the device brings products in the loading position to the unloading place figure 6 shows in perspective how a non-rotating first and second product holder of the device brings products into a position which differs from the loading position figures 7, 8 and 9 show in perspective how, with help of the device according to this invention, products with an irregular form and thickness, which initially have one and the same position, can be brought into a different position in order to form a stable bundle or stack.

The device comprises two identical supporting elements (1) with a predominantly triangular shape, which are provided parallel to each other, resting with one side on the ground, and at an intermediate distance apart from each other.

These supporting elements (1) support a central part (2) extending horizontally between the supporting elements (1), so that this central part (2) can rotate about its longitudinal axis (3).

This central part (2) in its turn supports four radial arms (4), (5) which extend according to two mutually perpendicular directions, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (3) of the central part (2), and together form a cross.

Two arms (4) which extend on both sides of the central part (2) in each other's prolongation, are formed by a bar (6) which extends through the middle of the central part (2).

Two other arms (5) which, perpendicular to the direction of the first mentioned arms (3), extend in each other's prolongation on both sides of the central part (2), are formed by a beam (7) which is attached to the central part (2), in the vicinity of an extremity of this central part ( 2 ) .

To each arm (4), (5) is attached a respective product holder (8), (9), made as a rectangular parallelepiped. Each product holder (8), (9) has two open sides for the insertion and removal of products (15).

The products holders (8) which are attached to the arms (4) formed by the bar (6) (called the first product holders (8) in that which follows), are attached to the respective extremities of that bar (6), so that an axis of symmetry (10) of the product holder (8) lies in the prolongation of the bar (6). The side of the product holder (8) directed away from the central part (2), and one of the sides which runs parallel to the bar (6) are open.

The bar (6) is rotatable about its longitudinal axis. By rotating the bar (6) the product holders (8) rotate about the aforementioned axis of symmetry (10).

The product holders ( 9 ) which are attached to the arms (5) formed by the beam (7) (called the second product holders (9) in that which follows), are attached in the vicinity of the respective extremities of the beam (7) to a respective rotatable rotation shaft (not visible in the figures) which runs almost parallel to the longitudinal axis (3) of the central part (2). These rotation shafts lie in the prolongation of an axis of symmetry (11) of the product holder (9) attached thereto, and are rotatable about their longitudinal axis.

The side directed away from the beam (7) of each of the product holders (9) and one of the sides which runs parallel to the longitudinal axis (3) of the central part (2) are open for the insertion and removal of products (15).

By rotating the rotation shafts, the product holders (9) rotate about their axis of symmetry (11) which runs parallel to the longitudinal axis (3) of the central part ( 2 ) . A conical toothed wheel (12) is attached to the central part (2). This conical toothed wheel (12) grips on to another conical toothed wheel (13) that can be rotated by a drive motor (not represented in the figures).

A chain-wheel (14) is attached to the bar (6). Another chain-wheel (15) can be rotated by a conical toothed wheel (12) of the central part (2). A chain runs over the chain-wheels (14), (15), so that the bar (6) can be rotated about its longitudinal axis by the aforementioned drive motor. The rotation shafts to which the second product holders (9) are attached, can also be rotated by the aforementioned drive motor via a similar transmission mechanism (not represented in the figures).

The transmission mechanism (14, 15) between the drive motor and the bar (6) and the transmission mechanism between the drive motor and the rotation shafts of the second product holders (9) are so made that the drive motor allows the first (8) and second product holders (9) to rotate with the same rotation speed as the central part (2) of the device. During the rotation of the central part (2) through 180° all product holders (8), (9) will therefore be taken along by the arms (4), (5) and describe a half turn about the longitudinal axis ( 3 ) of the central part ( 2 ) , the first product holders (8) will also rotate through an angle of 180° about an axis of symmetry (10) which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (3) of the central part (2), and the second product holders (9) will also rotate through an angle of 180° about an axis of symmetry (11) which runs parallel to the longitudinal axis (3) of the central part (2).

The device can also be so made that the rotation speed of the central part (2) is not the same as the rotation speed of the first (8) and/or the second product holders (9). Separate drive means can also be provided for rotating the product holders.

The left-hand drawing from figure 2 shows the device with a first product holder (8) at the loading place (16). In the middle drawing the central part (2) is rotated clockwise through an angle of 90° about its longitudinal axis (3), so that the aforementioned first product holder (8) is rotated a further quarter turn according to a circular path round the central part (2). Meanwhile the product holder (8) is also rotated through an angle of 90° about its axis of symmetry (10). In the right-hand drawing from figure 2 the first product holder (8) is in the unloading place (17), a quarter turn further than in the middle drawing from figure 2. This product holder (8) is in the meantime also rotated further through an angle of 90° about its axis of symmetry (10). A stack of products (15) which is brought by this product holder (8) from the loading place (16) to the unloading place (17), at the same time performs two different rotations during its movement (see figure 3). A first rotation of 180° about a horizontal axis (19), which extends in front of the stack, parallel to the front side (18) of the stack, and a second rotation of 180° about a horizontal axis (20), which runs through the stack according to its longitudinal direction.

In figure 4 (from left to right) a second product holder (9) is represented at the loading place (16), after a rotation of 90°, and after a rotation of 180° about the longitudinal axis (3) of the central part (2). This rotation occurs in clockwise direction. At the same time the product holder (9) rotates anticlockwise with the same rotation speed about its axis of symmetry (11) which runs parallel to the longitudinal axis (3) of the central part (2). Because of this the orientation of the product holder (9) in relation to its direction of movement (V) is so changed that its position (in space) remains unchanged. A stack of products (15) which is brought by this second product holder (9) from the loading place (16) to the unloading place (17), therefore remains in the same position (see figure 5) .

The device is also provided for working without rotation of the bar (6) and/or of the rotation shafts of the second product holders (9). In this case a product (15) is only rotated from the loading place (16) to the unloading place (17) about a horizontal axis (19) which extends in front of the stack, parallel to the front side (18) of the stack (see figure 6).

In figures 7, 8, 9 it is shown how with the help of the device according to the invention stable stacks (21) are automatically made of products (15) with an irregular form and thickness. Each stack (21) is composed of a lower (22) and an upper small stack (23) which are assembled in a different position.

In figure 7 each lower small stack (22) is moved by a first product holder (8) which works as represented in figure 2. Each upper small stack (23) is moved by a second product holder (9) which does not rotate about its axis of symmetry (11) .

In figure 8 each lower small stack (22) is moved by a first product holder (8), which does not rotate about its axis of symmetry (10), and each upper small stack (23) is moved by a second product holder (9), which rotates as represented in figure 4.

In figure 9 each lower small stack (22) is moved by a first product holder (8), which works as represented in figure 2. Each upper small stack (23) is moved by a second product holder (9), which rotates as represented in figure 4.

During the operation of the device a first (8) and a second product holder (9) alternately comes to the unloading place (17), so that with the small stacks (22), (23) of two successive product holders (8), (9) each time an assembled stack (21) can be formed.

Each product holder (8), (9) must be stopped for a short time at the loading place (16) and at the unloading place (17) in order to make possible the insertion and removal of small stacks (22), (23) of products (15). With every stoppage there is a product holder (8), (9) at the loading place (16) while an opposite product holder (8), (9) is at the unloading place (17).

Each time one product holder (8), (9) also stands still halfway between the loading place (16) and the unloading place (17). Use can be made of these standstills for example for removing waste matter from these product holders (8), (9), and/or for performing one or several of the following additional operations with regard to the products (15) in these product holders (8), (9): centring, lining up, quality controlling or counting products (15). For several of these operations the vertical position of the products (halfway between the loading place (16) and the unloading place (17)) is the most favourable. If this device is used for automatically moving and rotating products which are fed in a continuous flow to the loading place (16), a relatively high throughput can be ensured.

The device can furthermore be operated with very simple means.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Device for rotating products , provided with a product holder (8), (9) movable according to a continuous path, and provided for bringing products (15) which are in a loading place (16) in a loading position to an unloading place (17) in two rotated positions different in relation to each other, characterised in that the device is provided for automatically so changing the position of the product holder (8), (9) during the operation of the device that the products taken along in the course of several revolutions are brought to the unloading place respectively in a first position and in a second position rotated in relation to the first position.

2. Device for rotating products, provided with a first (8) and a second product holder (9) movable according to a continuous path, and provided for bringing products (15) which are in a loading place (16) in a loading position to an unloading -.place (17) in two positions rotated in relation to each other, characterised in that the device is provided for bringing the first (8) and the second product holder (9) in a different position at the unloading place (17), so that the products taken along by the first (8) and the second product holder (9) are respectively brought to the unloading place in a first position and in a second position rotated in relation to the first position.

3. Device for rotating products according to claim 1 or 2 , characterised in that the product holder(s) (8), (9) is/are so provided that alternately a product (15) in the first position and a product (15) in the second position can be brought to the unloading place.

4. Device for rotating products according to any of the preceding claims , characterised in that the device comprises at least two product holders (8), (9), which are rotatable about a respective axis (10), (11), that these axes (10), (11) extend according to a mutually differing direction, and that each axis (10), (11) runs almost according to one of the following:

- the axial direction of the continuous path

5. Device for rotating products according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the direction of movement (V) of the product holder(s) (8), (9) at the loading place (16) differs from the direction of movement (V) of the product holder(s) (8), (9) at the unloading place (17), and that at least one product holder (9) is provided for rotating in order so to change its orientation in relation to its direction of movement (V) that a product (15) taken along by this product holder (9) is brought to the unloading place (17) in a position which is almost identical to the aforementioned loading position.

6. Device for rotating products according to one of the preceding claims , characterised in that the device comprises a drive means for enabling all product holders (8), (9) to move according to a continuous path, and that this same drive means is provided for rotating at least one product holder (8), (9) in the course of its movement between the loading place (16) and the unloading place (17).

7. Device for rotating products according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the device comprises a rotatably disposed central part (2) with one or several arms (4), (5) extending in a radial direction, and that each product holder (8), (9) is attached to a respective arm (4), (5).

8. Device for rotating products according to any of the claims 2 up to and including 7, characterised in that the device comprises a rotatably disposed central part (2) with at least two arms (4), (5) extending in a radial direction, and that alternately a first (8) and a second product holder (9) is rotatably attached to the successive arms (4), (5).

9. Device for rotating products according to claim 8, characterised in that each first product holder (8) is rotatable about a first axis (10) which extends according to the longitudinal direction of the arm (4) to which the product holder (8) in question is attached, and that each second product holder (9) is rotatable about a second axis (11) which runs parallel to the rotation axis (3) of the aforementioned part (2).

10. Device for rotating products according to claim 9, characterised in that each first product holder (8) can be provided in order between the loading place (16) and the unloading place (17) to rotate either almost a half turn about the aforementioned first axis (10), or to maintain a fixed position in relation to the arm (4) to which it is attached, and that each second product holder (9) can be provided in order between the loading place (16) and the unloading place (17) to rotate either almost a half turn about the aforementioned second axis (11), or to maintain a fixed position in relation to the arm (5) to which it is attached.