Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D71/00—Bundles of articles held together by packaging elements for convenience of storage or transport, e.g. portable segregating carrier for plural receptacles such as beer cans or pop bottles; Bales of material
  • B65D71/70—Trays provided with projections or recesses in order to assemble multiple articles, e.g. intermediate elements for stacking
• • 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
  • B65G57/00—Stacking of articles
• • 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
  • B65G57/00—Stacking of articles
  • B65G57/005—Stacking of articles by using insertions or spacers between the stacked layers

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method of transferring individual objects to a pallet-loaded unit, the method comprising the steps that the individual objects are marshalled or grouped in a preselected packing pattern, constituting one layer on the ready-loaded pallet unit, and that the objects are transferred to an interlay sheet.
• the present invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying the method into effect.
• the aim is to have a stable pallet unit at the same time as the intention is to expose as much as possible of the product.
• the individual packages In order to obtain a stable unit, the individual packages have most generally been packed in corrugated cardboard trays, possibly with a wrapping of corrugated cardboard. In order to achieve a favourable exposure of the packages, any possible wrapping must be torn away, which is a time-consuming operation. Also in recycling in retail outlets, both the tray and the wrapping must be taken care of. Nor are the costs for such corrugated cardboard components negligible. Attempts have also been made to place the packages direct in low corrugated cardboard boxes, corresponding to the surface of the pallet, or use has also been made of interlays which have been friction treated between each layer on the pallet. However, both of these methods result in extremely unstable pallet units and the risk that the packages fall off and be damaged is very great.
• Loading a pallet with packages in a pallet loader entails that the packages, in a first separate machine, have been marshalled together to units, placed in trays and possibly provided with a wrapping. These units are then placed one-by-one on a pallet in a further machine. However, manual packing of pallets still occurs to a large extent.
• One object of the present invention is to realise a pallet-loaded unit which is stable and which, at the same time, exposes the packages in a sales-promoting manner.
• a further object of the present invention is to realise a machine which can handle all of the phases required for realising such a pallet-loaded unit.
• the method of the type disclosed by way of introduction has been given the characterising features that the outer edges of the sheet are folded and held so that the outer edges of the sheet form a frame, 90° to the planar surface of the sheet, and the frame extending on both sides of the planar surface, thereafter, a gripper head grasps that part of the frame which covers a part of the objects and presses the frame against the objects which, in such instance and together with the interlay sheet, are compressed to a layer unit, whereafter the gripper head lifts the layer unit, transports it horizontally and thereafter lowers the layer unit towards the upper surface of a pallet, or alternatively a partly loaded pallet unit, and places the layer unit on the pallet or alternatively on subjacent layers of objects.
• Fig. 1 shows a pallet-loaded unit of the type which may be loaded using the method according to the present invention
• Fig. 2 shows an interlay sheet, unfolded
• Fig. 3 shows an interlay sheet, folded
• Fig. 4 shows an apparatus according to the present invention from one side
• Fig. 5 shows an apparatus according to the present invention from the opposite side
• Fig. 6 is a schematic view of an apparatus according to the present invention.
• the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for marshalling or grouping together individual objects 1 to a pallet-loaded unit 2 as shown in Fig. 1.
• the objects 1 may, for example, consist of parallelepipedic packaging containers of single-use disposable type, intended for liquid foods. Lowermost in the unit, there is a load carrier or pallet 3.
• the pallet 3 may consist, for instance, of a so-called quarter pallet which is of a format which makes it suitable for handling in the retail trade.
• the present invention may also be employed for other types of pallets of different formats.
• a planar interlay sheet 4 is placed with a view to protecting the packaging containers 1.
• a number of layers 5 are stacked, each one consisting of a number of packaging containers 1 in a preselected packing pattern.
• interlay sheet 6 Between each layer 5 of packaging containers 1, there is disposed an interlay sheet 6.
• Figs. 2 and 3 may be of the type which is marketed under the name Tetra
• the interlay sheet 6 which is shown in the unfolded state in Fig. 2, has a continuous pattern of fold lines 7 and punchings 8. The pattern is placed along each edge of the interlay sheet 6.
• the interlay sheet 6 further has cut-off corner portions 9 in all four corners.
• the interlay sheet 6 is folded in that the edges are pressed upwards and the edges are in such instance formed as a frame 10 around a planar surface 11 (Fig. 3). The edges are folded in the fold lines 7 and then the frame 10 makes an angle of 90° to the planar surface 11.
• the frame 10 extends on both sides of the surface 11.
• the method may be followed in the schematic illustration in Fig. 6 and the workstations of the various method steps are illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.
• the first step in the method is carried out in a station 14 intended to marshal the packaging containers 1 which enter the pallet loader.
• the packages 1 are moved to the pallet loader on some form of conveyor belt 15.
• the conveyor belt 15 may consist of an endless, driven belt or chain of conventional type.
• the packaging containers 1 are grouped into a preselected packing pattern, for example with the aid of various pushers.
• the pad :.j-,ing containers 1 are grouped on a movable mat. From the mat, the packaging containers 1 are moved with the aid of the movements of the mat and a pusher, via a number of fixed rollers over to a number of continuous moving rollers.
• the pallet loader has a magazine 16 for pallets 3, where the pallets
• the pallet loader also has a magazine 19 for planar interlay sheets 4 which are placed on the surface of the pallet 3.
• a further magazine 20 for the foldable interlay sheets 6 is disposed in the pallet loader. Each respective interlay sheet 4, 6 is picked from its respective magazine 19, 20 and placed in a folding station 21.
• the interlay sheets 4 and 6 are held in the folding station 21 by vacuum.
• the subsequent step in the method is carried out in the folding station 21.
• the packaging containers 1 placed on the rollers in their packing pattern are rolled out over the interlay sheet 4,6 on the folding station 21.
• the rollers thereafter withdraw to their original position and the packaging containers 1 fall down on the interlay sheet 4, 6.
• the packaging containers 1 may be grouped direct on the interlay sheet 4, 6. This however implies that there is a risk that the packaging containers 1 fasten in the fold lines 7 or the punchings 8. In addition, friction is greater direct against the interlay sheet 4, 6.
• the packaging containers 1 are supported during the transfer operation by various support rails and an end stop. When the packaging containers 1 are standing on the interlay sheet 4, 6, the support rails and end stop are folded away.
• the pallet loader continues to the next step in the method.
• the interlay 6 is of the foldable type
• a folding of the sheet 6 is carried out in the folding station 21.
• the edges of the interlay sheet 6 are pushed upwards by means of pressure plates, the edges being folded in the fold lines 7 and the frame 10 being formed around the interlay sheet 6.
• the frame 10 is fixed in this position in that support fingers from within and from beneath press against the lower portion 12 of the frame
• the support fingers may, for example, be controlled by means of a piston and cylinder assembly.
• the packaging containers 1 and the interlay sheet 4, 6 which constitute a layer unit are to be grasped and moved.
• the linear unit may, for example, be servo-controlled, frequency controlled or controlled by means of pneumatics.
• the gripper head 23 is lowered down over the grouped packaging containers 1 on the interlay sheet 4, 6. If the interlay sheet 6 is of the foldable type, the gripper head 23 grasps about both the packaging containers 1 and the upper portion 13 of the frame 10. At the same time as the gripper head grasps, it also compresses the layer unit. Since the corner portions 9 of the interlay sheet 6 are obliquely cut off, the frame 10 can be pressed against the compressed packaging containers 1 without the frame 10 overlapping the corners.
• the gripper head 23 In order further to hold the layer unit of packaging containers 1 and interlay sheet 4, 6 fast, there are provided support fingers on the gripper head 23 which support the sheet 4, 6 from beneath. The gripper head 23 thereafter lifts the layer unit and transports it horizontally, whereafter it lowers the layer unit down towards the pallet 3 or alternatively towards the uppermost layer 5 of the partly loaded pallet unit 2. If the interlay sheet 4 is of the planar type, the packages 1 are compressed without the frame 10 and the sheet 4 is supported from beneath by the support fingers.
• the station 24 substantially consists of a centring frame. Sensors, for example photocells or inductive transducers are placed just above the centring frame and have for their purpose to detect the upper surface of the pallet 3 or alternatively the upper surface of the uppermost layer 5 in the partly loaded pallet unit 2.
• the centring frame places itself such that the sensors see over the upper surface and at the same time the centring frame compresses the uppermost layer 5 on the pallet 3.
• Further sensors for example photocells or inductive transducers are placed at a given, well-defined height above the upper surface.
• these sensors detect the arrival of the gripper head 23.
• the downward movement of the gripper head 23 is retarded and the gripper head 23 lowers itself the same well-defined distance down towards the upper surface.
• the frame 10 is angled somewhat in towards the packages 1 and creates a funnel form of the frame. Lowering of the unit is facilitated in that the packaging containers 1 in the uppermost layer 5 are also compressed.
• the gripper head 23 and centring frame release their grip about the packaging containers 1, the frame 10 will be locked at 90° between two layers 5, at the same time as the interlay sheet 6 fixedly locks the packaging containers 1 in each respective layer 5.
• the centring frame will have a longer time to detect the upper surface and position itself correctly for receiving the arriving layer unit.
• the ready-loaded pallet unit 2 is advanced on the conveyor 17 and out from the machine.
• a new pallet 3 is fed into the loading position 18, whereafter loading of the new pallet 3 is repeated using the above-described method.
• the present invention realises a method and an apparatus therefor which can handle all of the sub-phases which are required for being able, in one machine, to load objects on a pallet together with foldable interlay sheets.

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20415671

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (12)

Citations (2)

• 1999
  • 1999-05-20 SE SE9901834A patent/SE514618C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2000
  • 2000-05-18 WO PCT/SE2000/000991 patent/WO2000071448A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2000-05-18 AU AU52602/00A patent/AU5260200A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-05-19 AR ARP000102454 patent/AR024042A1/es unknown

Patent Citations (2)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events