WO2004074145A2

WO2004074145A2 - Product transfer assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2004074145A2
Application number: PCT/US2004/005175
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pascal Martini
Original assignee: Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems Llc
Priority date: 2003-02-19
Filing date: 2004-02-19
Publication date: 2004-09-02
Also published as: WO2004074145A3; GB0303804D0

Abstract

ABSTRACT A product transfer assembly comprising a support structure upon which a support member (16) is mounted for generally horizontal reciprocal motion, product pick-up means (28, 29) having at least one product pick-up and release member (30, 31) being mounted upon said support member (16) in a manner permitting rotational movement and reciprocal motion of the product pick-up means (28, 29) relative to the support member (16).

Description

PRODUCT TRANSFER ASSEMBLY

Background of the Invention

This invention is concerned with a product transfer assembly. In particular, the invention is concerned with transfer means arranged to transfer products such as cartons or other packages in one orientation to another location and in a different orientation. More specifically the invention is principally directed to a carton transfer assembly which is constructed and arranged to pick up one or more cartons travelling on a horizontal conveyor and to transfer the picked up cartons to a vertical conveyor, upon which they can be loaded with the requisite end product.

There is a need within the carton packaging art for an assembly which can transfer moving horizontally disposed cartons, for example, to a moving vertically arranged conveyor in an efficient, practical and convenient manner. Moreover there is a need for a stand-alone such assembly which need not be an integral part of a horizontal or vertical product feed conveyor. Such needs can be met by the present invention.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a product transfer assembly comprising a support structure upon which a support member is mounted for generally horizontal reciprocal motion, product pick-up means having at least one product pick-up and release member being mounted upon said support member in a manner permitting rotational movement and reciprocal motion of the product pick-up means relative to the support member.

Preferably, the support structure comprises a framework including at least one shaft around which the support member is located for said reciprocal motion. Conveniently the assembly includes a pair of spaced generally parallel such shafts. The support member can be arranged to reciprocate along a track defined in an upper part of the support structure by a motor fixed thereto.

Conveniently, the support member is affixed to a continuous motor-driven belt. Preferably, the support member comprises a primary elongate arm wherein the product pick-up means is mounted upon said arm at an end remote from the support structure. The product pick-up means may comprise a secondary elongate arm capable of reciprocal motion within both generally vertical and generally horizontal planes. The product pick-up means can be provided with a plurality of spaced generally parallel pick and release members. Each pickup and release member most conveniently comprises a vacuum cup. Conveniently, the product pick-up means can be affixed to the support member through the intermediary of a tertiary elongate arm mounted for rotation with respect to the said support member.

The tertiary such arm is preferably mounted at an end of the support member spaced from the support structure and is conveniently able to rotate through a minimum of about 90 degrees through a motor affixed to the said support structure.

Preferably, the product pick-up means is reciprocated by a further motor affixed to the support structure.

Conveniently, the tertiary arm is rotated by belt-driven means arranged on the support member, and the product pick-up means is conveniently reciprocated by belt-driven means arranged on the said tertiary arm.

The invention provides in a second aspect an assembly according to the first aspect in combination with generally horizontally arranged conveyor means and generally vertically arranged conveyor means. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the generally horizontally arranged conveyor means is preferably provided with a plurality of spaced products in the form of cartons or packages. In a third aspect the invention provides a method for transferring a product from a generally horizontally arranged moving conveyor to a generally vertically arranged moving conveyor which method involves use of an assembly according to the first or second aspects of this invention.

More particularly, a preferred method of transferring a product from a generally horizontally arranged moving conveyor to a generally vertically arranged moving conveyor comprises:

a) providing a product transfer assembly according to the first aspect of the invention, b) positioning the support structure adjacent and generally parallel to the said horizontally arranged conveyor with said support member projecting above the upper surfaces of products positioned in spaced relation upon the said horizontally arranged conveyor, c) positioning the said product pick-up means such that the product pick-up and release members are aligned above the said upper surfaces of the products to be transferred, d) causing the said pick-up and release members to engage the said upper surfaces of the products in a manner temporarily to secure the said pick-up and release members to said upper surfaces, e) raising the product pick-up means with the products attached to said pick-up and release members, f) at least partially rotating simultaneously the picked up products so that their orientation changes from generally horizontal to generally vertical, g) causing the said product pick-up means to be displaced in a generally horizontal plane toward a generally vertically disposed conveyor spaced from said generally horizontal conveyor such that the said picked up products are brought into alignment with receiving parts of the said generally vertical conveyor, h) causing the said picked up products to be released from the said pick-up and release members, i) withdrawing the product pick-up means from the vicinity of the generally vertical conveyor by linear displacement of said means within the same general horizontal plane defined in step (g) above, j) during at least said above steps (c) to (i) causing the support member to be displaced linearly in one direction, and k) displacing the support member towards its original position relative to the support structure whereafter repeating steps (c) to (j) above in a continuous cycle.

A further aspect of the invention provides a product transfer assembly comprising a product in-feed conveyor mounted in a first plane and an out-feed conveyor mounted in a second plane, a product pick-up means having at least one product pick-up and release means being mounted to a product manipulation device permitting rotational movement and reciprocal motion of the product pick-up and release means to pick up and manipulate the product from the in-feed conveyor to the out-feed conveyor. Preferably, the in-feed conveyor conveys product at a first velocity and the out- feed conveyor conveys product at a second velocity, wherein the product manipulation device is driven by drive means to permit the pick-up and release means to move at the first velocity to pick the product and to be accelerated or retarded to the second velocity to release the product on the out-feed conveyor.

hi one class of embodiments, the movement of the product manipulation device, the in-feed conveyor and out-feed conveyor are controlled by a controller to synchronize transfer of the product from the in-feed conveyor to the out-feed conveyor.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Exemplary embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a preferred product transfer assembly disposed in the vicinity of horizontal and vertical conveyors, in a commencement position, and

FIGURE 2 is a view of the apparatus depicted in FIGURE 1 wherein products have been transferred from the horizontal conveyor to the vertical conveyor by appropriate operations of the components of the product transfer assembly.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGURE 1 thereof, the product transfer assembly is shown in association with a horizontal conveyor 1 and vertically arranged conveyor la, both of which are shown with product cartons having open lid parts 4 thereof. On the horizontal conveyor which is arranged to move the product cartons in the direction of arrow A, the individual product cartons are separated by a plurality of appropriately disposed spacer pegs 3 whilst at the vertically arranged conveyor, which is arranged to provide forward motion in the direction of arrow E, the product cartons when transferred thereto are arranged against a supporting part of 3 a of the vertical conveyor.

The horizontal conveyor 1 is shown driven by tumbler or pulley device 5 although in the interests of clarity the drive means thereof have been omitted.

The product transfer assembly 6 comprises a generally rectangular framework array including a base 7, first and second upstanding side members 8 and 9 respectively, and a connecting piece 18, above which an upper region 15 is provided including a track for reciprocal motion of a horizontally extending arm 16. The upper region of side member 9 has an extension 10 whereas the upper region of side member 8 has a corresponding extension 11 between which an upper region 15 of the framework is defined.

Conveniently, the upper region 15 of the transfer assembly 6 effectively provides a track along which the support member can be reciprocated in linear directions shown by the arrow B and as explained in more detail hereafter. The transfer assembly 6 support framework (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18) is provided with three separate and independently operable motor-drive units which are most conveniently brushless motors such as servo motors. Respectively these are referenced as motor unit 12 arranged to drive the support member, in the form of the horizontally extending arm 16, by means of an endless belt 15 attached to the body of the horizontal arm 16. Drive motor 13 is arranged to cause linear displacement in both directions of the arrow D of the product pick-up means which in this embodiment is depicted as a secondary elongate arm 28 to which a sub-frame 29 is rigidly affixed. This sub frame carries a plurality of individual product pick-up and release members 30, 31 in the form of remotely operable vacuum cups. The provision and remote operation of such vacuum cups will be familiar to those skilled in the art and their structure and function will not require detailed elaboration.

The third drive motor 14 provided on the transfer assembly 6 is arranged independently to actuate rotation of an intermediate tertiary rotating arm 26 in both directions of arrow C and to which arm the product pick-up means 28 is affixed for linear displacement.

The horizontally extending arm 16 is located about a first shaft 17 and a second shaft 19. A tumbler or pulley component 20 is mounted upon the first said shaft 17 to drive a belt 21, which, through an arrangement of pulleys (not shown) on the tertiary arm 26 is arranged to drive the product pick-up means 28 in both linear directions of arrow D relative to the said tertiary arm 26.

The second shaft 19 is provided with a similar tumbler or pulley component 22 arranged to drive continuous belt 23 which in turn is arranged to effect rotation of the tertiary arm 26 through an angle of at least 90 degrees with respect to the primary arm 16 comprising the support member. The tertiary arm 26 is pivotally affixed to arm 16 at mounting 27 and in so pivoting causes the orientation of the product pick-up means 28, 29 to change from vertical as shown in Figure 1 to horizontal as shown in Figure 2.

For convenience, a belt tensioner 24 is provided on the horizontal support member 16 to apply tension to the belt 23 and similarly tensioning device 25 is also provided on the primary horizontal arm 16 adequately to tension the belt 21 in contact therewith.

The product pick-up means in the illustrated embodiment comprises in combination the secondary elongate arm 28 and sub-frame 29 attached thereto, which sub-frame 29 is provided with the plurality of vacuum tubes 30 and cups 31. Vacuum can be supplied thereto and interrupted therefrom by means which are conventional and well known in this art and hence are not described in further detail. The product pick-up means 28, 29 are driven linearly in both directions of arrow D in relation to the tertiary arm 26 by driven belt 32, so arranged ultimately to be driven by motor 13. The tertiary arm 26 is able to rotate in both directions of arrow C relative to the primary support arm 16 by appropriate operation of its associated motor 14 as previously indicated.

In the arrangement of FIGURE 2, whilst both horizontal and vertical conveyors are travelling in their respective directions A and E, the support arm 16 has been displaced towards extension 10 within the track defined by the upper region of the transfer assembly. The tertiary arm 26 has been simultaneously rotated through an angle of 90 degrees to lie generally parallel with the body of the primary support arm 16.

The product pick-up means comprising the driven secondary arm 28 and sub-frame 29 attached thereto has also simultaneously been displaced (within a direction of arrow D) to position products 2 picked up by the vacuum cups 31 for transfer onto the moving vertical conveyor la for subsequent packaging or other treatment. Such a cycle of pick up, transfer and return to original position can operate continuously as required, and at finely controllable speeds by synchronizing actuation of the three drive motors 12, 13 and 14.

When the vacuum holding the product cartons 2 in vertical position on the vertical conveyor is interrupted, the product pick-up means is retracted linearly (in the other direction of arrow D) to withdraw the product pick-up means from the vicinity of the vertical conveyor. Whilst the primary support arm 16 is driven back towards the extension 11 of the first side member 8, the tertiary arm 26 is simultaneously rotated so that the transfer assembly returns to its original position depicted in FIGURE 1.

Operation of the transfer assembly components is preferably continuous by simultaneous reciprocal linear motion of primary support arm 16 (in the directions of arrow B), rotation of tertiary arm 26 (in the directions of arrow C) and reciprocal linear motion of the product pickup means in relation to the tertiary arm (along both directions of arrow D). The speed and timing of the preferably servo-motors 12, 13 and 14 can be finely controlled to co-ordinate transfer speed and timing with the speed of travel of cartons upon the horizontal conveyor and the selected speed of the vertical conveyor. Multiple products can be simultaneously picked up from the moving horizontal conveyor and transferred to the moving vertical conveyor. Although the illustrated arrangement provides product pick-up and release members in the form of four vacuum tubes 30 and vacuum cups 31, more or less of these members could be provided depending upon carton transfer requirements.

The transfer assembly enables continuous pick up and transfer of products such as opened but empty cartons running at a constant speed on a horizontal conveyor onto a vertical conveyor also preferably running at a constant speed, after each picked up product has undergone a partial rotation of the order 90 degrees.

Products can be taken on single or multiple bases simultaneously depending upon the desired speed of the conveyors.

It can thus be appreciated that in a method of transferring a product from a generally horizontally arranged moving conveyor to a generally vertically arranged moving conveyor, the following steps in order are involved:

It is envisaged that the apparatus described above can be fitted to a packaging machine on a modular basis or as an integral part of the machine. It is further envisaged that the apparatus can be supplied to existing machinery and fitted on a retro-fit basis.

Claims

1. A product transfer assembly comprising a product in-feed conveyor mounted in a first plane and an out-feed conveyor mounted in a second plane, a product pick-up means having at least one product pick-up and release means being mounted to a product manipulation device permitting rotational movement and reciprocal .motion of the product pick-up and release means to pick up and manipulate the product from the in- feed conveyor to the out-feed conveyor.

2. A product transfer assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the in-feed conveyor conveys product at a first velocity and the out-feed conveyor conveys product at a second velocity, wherein the product manipulation device is driven by drive means to permit the pick-up and release means to move at the first velocity to pick the product and to be accelerated or retarded to the second velocity to release the product on the out-feed conveyor.

3. A product transfer assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein movement of the product manipulation device, the in-feed conveyor and out-feed conveyor are controlled by a controller to synchronize transfer of the product from the in-feed conveyor to the out-feed conveyor.

4. A product transfer assembly comprising a support structure upon which a support member is mounted for generally horizontal reciprocal motion, product pick-up means having at least one product pick-up and release member being mounted upon said support member in a manner permitting rotational movement and reciprocal motion of the product pick-up means relative to the support member.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the support structure comprises a framework including at least one shaft around which the support member is located for said reciprocal motion.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5 including a pair of spaced generally parallel such shafts.

7. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the support member is arranged to reciprocate along a track defined in an upper part of the support structure by a motor.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, in which the support member is affixed to a continuous motor-driven belt.

9. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 4 to 8 wherein the support member comprises an elongate primary arm, said product pick-up means being mounted thereon at an end remote from the support structure.

10. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 4 to 9, in which said product pick-up means comprises a secondary elongate arm capable of reciprocal motion within both generally vertical and generally horizontal planes.

11. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 4 to 10, in which the product pick-up means is provided with a plurality of spaced generally parallel product pick-up and release devices.

12. An assembly as claimed in claim 11 in which each pick-up and release device comprises a vacuum cup.

13. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 4 to 12, wherein the product pick-up means is connected to the support member through the intermediary of a tertiary elongate arm mounted for rotation with respect to the said support member.

14. An assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the said tertiary arm is mounted at an end of the support member spaced from the support structure and is able to rotate through a minimum of about 90° being actuated by a motor.

15. An assembly as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein the product pick-up means is reciprocated by a further motor affixed to the support structure.

16. An assembly as claimed in claim 15 in which the tertiary arm is rotated by belt driven means arranged on the said support member, and the product pick-up means is reciprocated by belt driven means arranged on the said tertiary arm.

17. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 4 to 16, beatable adjacent a moving conveyor mounted in a first plane having one or more products disposed thereon with the product pick-up means eatable in a region above an upper surface of said product or products, whereby the pick-up and release means can be displaced linearly into contact with said surface or surfaces, operated to pick up the product or products from the conveyor and to at least partially rotate the product or products before transfer by linear displacement to a moving conveyor mounted in a second plane and release from said pick-up means.

18. An assembly as claimed in claim 17 adapted to operate in a continuous manner or cycle, whereby once a product or products have been picked up, at least partially rotated, transferred to said generally vertically arranged conveyor and released, the support member is arranged to return the product pick-up means to a region above an upper surface of other products on the generally horizontal conveyor.

19. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 4 to 18 in combination with generally horizontally arranged conveyor means and generally vertically arranged conveyor means.

20. An assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the generally horizontally arranged conveyor means is provided with a plurality of spaced products in the form of cartons or packages.

21. A method of transferring a product from a generally horizontally arranged moving conveyor to a generally vertically arranged moving conveyor which method involves use of an assembly as claimed in any preceding claim.

22. A method of transferring a product from a generally horizontally arranged moving conveyor to a generally vertically arranged moving conveyor which comprises:

a. providing a product transfer assembly as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 20, b. positioning the support structure adjacent and generally parallel to the said horizontally arranged conveyor with said support member projecting above the upper surfaces of products positioned in spaced relation upon the said horizontally arranged conveyor, c. positioning the said product pick-up means such that the product pick-up and release members are aligned above the said upper surfaces of the products to be transferred, d. causing the said pick-up and release members to engage the said upper surfaces of the products in a manner temporarily to secure the said pick-up and release members to said upper surfaces, e. raising the product pick-up means with the products attached to said pick-up and release members, f. at least partially rotating simultaneously the picked up products so that their orientation changes from generally horizontal to generally vertical, g. causing the said product pick-up means to be displaced in a generally horizontal plane towards a generally vertically disposed conveyor spaced from said generally horizontal conveyor such that the said picked up products are brought into alignment with receiving parts of the said generally vertical conveyor, h. causing the said picked up products to be released from the said product pick-up and release members, i. withdrawing the product pick-up means from the vicinity of the generally vertical conveyor by linear displacement of said means within the same general horizontal plane defined in step g) above, j. during at least said above steps c) to i) causing the support member to be displaced linearly in one direction , and k. displacing the support member towards its original position relative to the support structure whereafter repeating steps c) to j) above in a continuous cycle.