WO2001051391A1

WO2001051391A1 - Method and device for conveying objects in a suspended position

Info

Publication number: WO2001051391A1
Application number: PCT/FR2001/000085
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frédéric Bernard
Original assignee: Rafale Technologie
Priority date: 2000-01-14
Filing date: 2001-01-11
Publication date: 2001-07-19
Also published as: FR2803835A1; FR2803835B1; AU3187901A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for conveying objects (1) along a support and/or guiding rail (2) in a suspended position. Said objects (1) are transported by means of a shuttle (3) which interacts with said rail (2) and holds up the objects (1) while they are being conveyed. According to the objects (1) are lowered at least by gravity along a descending section (10) of the rail in order to store them at least partially along said section. Said shuttle (3) can be moved along the rail by force of gravity when said rail is inclined.

Description

TITLE: Method and device for conveying objects in the suspended position.

The invention relates to a method and a device for conveying objects in the suspended position.

Although more particularly intended for the transport of bottles or the like, it may be used, in general, for the transport of all other types of objects.

Currently, in the field of conveying bottles, it is known to transport them using a guide rail at which they are suspended by a flange provided in the mass in the vicinity of their neck. The propulsion is ensured by air blowing.

For various reasons, it may be useful along these conveyor lines to provide storage areas for the bottles, for example if the machines placed upstream and downstream of the lines have different flow rates. It has thus already been proposed to use hoppers in which the bottles are stored in bulk then aligned and reloaded on the conveyor lines as and when required.

This first solution has the drawback of not carrying out online storage of the bottles, which causes difficulties concerning the loading and unloading of the storage hopper. In addition, the bottles rub against each other and / or against the walls of the hopper, which can damage them and pose hygiene problems.

It should also be noted that such a solution requires the use of specific means for aligning and recharging the bottles at the outlet of the hoppers.

Another solution lies in the lengthening of the conveyor lines. It nevertheless requires a very long length and therefore a large surface area available on the ground.

Various online storage machines have also been proposed, but they are of complex structure and operation.

Furthermore, it is known to convey bottles thanks to a shuttle intended, on the one hand, to cooperate with their guide rail and, on the other hand, to maintain said bottles during their transport. Propulsion is then provided by air jet at the level of the shuttle.

However, with such a conveying method, no real storage solutions have yet been proposed.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device for conveying objects in a suspended position which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and allow objects to be stored online.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device for conveying objects in the suspended position which operate in a reduced space requirement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device for conveying objects in the suspended position which make it possible to preserve said objects. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of conveying objects in the suspended position which is simple to implement and use, in particular by requiring only a minimum supply of energy.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear during the description which follows which is given for information only and which is not intended to limit it.

The invention relates first of all to a method of conveying objects in the suspended position along a support and / or guide rail in which said objects are transported by means of a shuttle cooperating with said rail. and maintaining said objects during their conveying, characterized in that said objects are lowered at least by gravity along a descending portion of the rail, to store them at least partially along said portion, said shuttle being suitable to move along said rail under the effect of gravity, when the latter is inclined. The invention also relates to a device for conveying objects in the suspended position, for implementing the method described more high, comprising a support and / or guide rail, as well as shuttles, capable of holding said objects during their conveying and of cooperating with said rail for the transport of the latter, characterized in that said rail has a descending portion intended for the storage of said objects, said shuttles being further able to move along said rail under the effect of gravity when the latter is inclined.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, accompanied by the accompanying drawings which form an integral part thereof and among which: - Figure 1 illustrates, in a side view, an embodiment of the device according to the invention ,

FIG. 2 illustrates, in perspective, an exemplary embodiment of a part used in the device according to the invention,

- Figure 3 is a top view according to Figure 1, - Figure 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1,

- Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line V-V shown in Figure 3 above.

The invention relates first of all to a method of conveying objects in the suspended position.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, according to the method according to the invention, said objects 1 are transported along a support and / or guide rail 2, by means of a shuttle, marked 3 in the part of the device illustrated in Figure 1 in partial section. Said shuttle 3 cooperates with said rail 2 and maintains said objects 1 during their conveying. With such a part, said objects 1 can be propelled, for example, by blowing air, in particular in the direction of said shuttle 3. Different embodiments of such a conveying mode are described in the international patent application WO- 97 / 46,472.

According to these, the air blowing is obtained through a blowing chamber 5, placed above the rail 2. Said blowing chamber present on its face placed opposite said rail 2, in particular, a channel 6 inside which the shuttles 3 can circulate , said channel 6 being provided with slots 7 through which the air used to transport the objects 1 is propelled, as illustrated by the arrows identified 4.

According to other modes of conveying, the shuttle 3 can also be propelled by defining with the latter and said rail 2 a linear motor.

In the case of conveying bottles, these are attached to said shuttle 3, for example, at their neck.

However, according to the invention, said shuttle 3 is able to move along said rail 2 under the effect of gravity, when the latter is inclined.

For this, as illustrated in FIG. 2, said shuttle 3 is provided, for example, with wheels 8 by means of which it rolls on said rail 2, provided capable of forming a running track. In Figures 1 and 4, the shuttles are shown schematically, without a wheel. They may nevertheless be provided with it or are provided with any other means allowing movement along the downward portion or portions 10 of the rail 2 under the effect of gravity, at least. To this end, it may consist of two elements 9 provided along the trajectory of the objects 1 and having, for example, a C-shaped profile, one of the horizontal branches of the C serving as a running track. In Figures 1 and 4, the representations of the shuttles and the rail have been simplified so as not to overload the figures. According to another embodiment, said shuttle 3 may be provided, for example, with magnetic levitation means relative to said rail 2, so as to be able to move along said rail under the effect of gravity.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it can be seen that, still according to the invention, said objects 1 are lowered along a descending portion 10 of the rail 2, to store them at least partially the along said portion 10.

It is thus possible to accumulate the objects 1, online, by reducing the space requirement on the ground of the zone used for this purpose.

In addition, the method according to the invention does not require any energy input since, for their storage, the objects 1 can move under the effect of their weight alone. It should also be noted in this regard that the presence of the shuttles 3 facilitates such a result since their weight is added to the weight of the objects 1.

In addition, thanks to said shuttles 3, said objects 1 no longer collide during their storage, the shocks can be carried over to said shuttles.

In order to control the accumulation of objects 1, said objects 1 are stopped and / or released at will, before the end of said descending portion. Downstream of said descending portion, said objects are again propelled.

In order to favor the reduction of the footprint on the ground, as developed below, the objects 1 are guided along said descending portion, for example, according to a trajectory winding around a longitudinal axis inclined relative to the horizontal, especially vertical. The slope of said descending portion 10 of rail 2 could be, for example, from 0.5% to 10%.

As illustrated, in top view, said objects 1 are initially transported, for example, substantially horizontally and then they are raised, in particular vertically, to a given level 11, called the storage start level. They are then lowered, for their storage, from said storage start level 10.

By initially carrying out objects close to the ground, it is thus possible to store them in height, in a space usually left free. As illustrated in FIG. 3, said objects 1 are transported, for example, along a first conveyor line 12 between a point of start 13 and an end point 14. In the case of conveying bottles, it will thus be possible to transport the bottles, in particular, between a blower, connected to the start point 13, and a filler, connected to the end point 14. Along said first conveying line 12, at least two switching points 15, 16 are provided, allowing said objects to pass from said first line 12 to a second conveying line 17, at the level of the first switching point 15 , and vice versa at the second point 16. There is then provided said descending portion 10 of the rail 2 on said second conveyor line 17, between said first and second points of referral 15, 16, and said objects 1 are lowered, their storage, up to a given level 18, called the end of storage level, corresponding to the level of said second point of referral 16. The dimensions of the conveyor lines are further optimized in this way.

As already mentioned above, said objects 1 are guided on said descending portion 10 of the rail 2 intended for storage, for example, along a trajectory winding around a longitudinal axis. 19.

Referring again to Figure 1, we see that it may be a substantially helical trajectory, that is to say, along a straight line winding fictitiously with a regular pitch around a cylinder.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, it could also be, for example, a trajectory substantially in spirals, that is to say, along a straight line winding fictitiously with a regular pitch around a cone. The said spiral or spirals are, in particular, convergent or divergent, depending on the orientation of the cone around which it is fictitiously wound. They will eventually be superimposed.

It is then possible, as illustrated, to place the cones around which they are fictitiously wound up head to tail. With a spiral trajectory, it is therefore not necessary, at each turn, to lower the objects 1 at least the equivalent of their height but on the contrary, it is possible to use a spiral of no smaller size allowing, for the same footprint, to increase the linear length available for storage.

In order to obtain the same result, it is also possible to guide the objects 1, for example, so as to tilt them in a plane not parallel to the axis of said trajectories substantially in a helix and / or in a spiral.

As illustrated in the figures already mentioned, the invention also relates to a device for conveying objects 1 in the suspended position for implementing the method described above. This device comprises a support and / or guide rail 2 as well as shuttles 3, capable of holding said objects 1 during their conveyance and of cooperating with said rail 2 for the transport of the latter, said shuttles 3 being moreover capable, according to the invention, to move along said rail 2 under the effect of gravity, when the latter is inclined. The various embodiments of the rail 2 and / or of the shuttle 3 already described remain valid.

Still according to the invention, said rail 2 has a descending portion 10, intended for the storage of said objects.

In order to control the accumulation of objects 1, means for stopping and / or releasing their progression may be provided on the rail 2 before the lower end of said portion 10.

The device according to the invention has, for example, downstream of a substantially horizontal portion 20 of said rail 2, means 21 for lifting said objects 1, then said descending portion 10 of rail 2. Said means 21 for lifting objects 1 consist, in particular, of a blowing chamber 5 ′, of the same structure as the blowing chamber 5 already described but capable, if necessary, of allowing the projection of a higher air flow in the direction of the shuttles 3 .

Said descending portion 10 of rail 2 is provided, in particular, on a conveyor line 17, located in parallel with a conveyor line 12, as mentioned above. Said descending portion 10 is formed, for example, in a helix and / or in a spiral, the orientation of the rail 2 making it possible to transport the objects 1 vertically and / or inclined.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the device according to the invention comprises support means 22 of said descending portion 10 of the rail 2 consisting, for example, of a shaft 23, provided along the longitudinal axis of said propeller and / or of said spiral formed by said rail 2.

Said shaft 23 is provided, in particular, with radial branches 24, maintaining said rail 2 in overhang. Said branches are located, for example, every 90 °.

Said descending portion 10 of the rail 2 and its support means 22 may be subdivided into successive zones, intended to be superimposed on each other, each zone corresponding to the pitch or to a multiple of the pitch of said propeller, and / or to a given number of turns of said spiral. In the latter case, the passage from one zone to another takes place, in particular, when the trajectory passes from a converging portion to a diverging portion, or vice versa.

Such an embodiment facilitates the assembly and the evolution of the conveyor lines over time. Referring again to FIG. 2, it can be seen that said shuttle 3, in the case of conveying by blowing, has, for example, a web 25, in the direction of which the air jets intended for propulsion are oriented, said web 25 being intended to circulate in said channel 6.

Said shuttle 3 also has a body 26 to which said wheels 8 and said web 25 are connected. In its lower part, said body 26 is provided with means for attaching said objects 1. This will, for example, be an attachment by diaphragm.

For this, said body 26 consists, in particular, of two parts which are movable relative to one another so as to allow the opening and closing of the diaphragm.

Naturally, other modes of implementation, within reach skilled in the art, could have been envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Method for conveying objects (1) in the suspended position along a rail (2) for support and / or guide in which said objects (1) are transported by means of a shuttle (3) , cooperating with said rail (2) and holding said objects (1) during their conveying, characterized in that said objects (1) are lowered at least by gravity along a descending portion (10) of the rail (2), to store them, at least partially along said portion (10), said shuttle (3) being able to move along said rail (2) under the effect of gravity, when the latter is inclined .

2. Method according to claim 1, in which: said objects (1) are transported substantially horizontally,

- They are raised to a given level (11), called the start of storage level, - they are lowered for their storage from said start of storage level (11).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, in which said objects (1) are transported along a first conveyor line (12), between a starting point (13) and an arrival point (14), along said first conveying line (12) at least two switching points (15, 16) are provided allowing said objects to be able to pass from said first line (12) to a second conveying line (17), at the level from the first point of referral (15), and conversely at the level of the second point (16), there is provided said descending portion (10) of the rail (2) for support and / or guide intended for storage on said second conveyor line (17), said objects (1) are lowered for their storage to a given level (18), said end of storage level, corresponding to the level of said second point of referral (16).

4. Method according to claim 1, in which said objects (1) are guided on said descending portion (10) of the rail (2) intended for storage along a substantially helical and / or spiral trajectory, convergent and / or divergent.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein said objects (1) are guided so as to incline them in a plane not parallel to the axis of said trajectories substantially helically and / or spirally.

6. Device for conveying objects (1) in the suspended position, for implementing the method according to claim 1 comprising a rail (2) for support and / or guide, as well as shuttles (3) capable of holding said objects (1) during their conveying and to cooperate with said rail (2) for the transport of the latter, characterized in that said rail (2) has a descending portion (10) intended for the storage of said objects (1), said shuttles (3) being further able to move along said rail (2) under the effect of gravity when the latter is inclined,

7. Device according to claim 6 comprising downstream of a substantially horizontal portion (20) of said rail (2) means (21) for raising said objects (1) then said descending portion (10) of the rail (2).

8. Device according to claim 6, wherein said descending portion (10) formed in a helix and / or in a spiral.

9. Device according to claim 8 comprising support means (22) of said descending portion (10) of the rail (2), consisting of a shaft (23) provided along the longitudinal axis of the propeller and / or of the spiral formed by said rail, said shaft (23) being provided with radial branches (24) holding said rail (2) in overhang.

10. Device according to claim 9, in which said descending portion (10) of the rail (2) and its support means (22) are subdivided into successive zones intended to be superimposed on each other, each zone corresponding to the pitch or to a multiple of the pitch of said propeller and / or a given number of turns of said spiral.