WO2007145509A1

WO2007145509A1 - Pattern former

Info

Publication number: WO2007145509A1
Application number: PCT/NL2007/050212
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerrit Doppenberg; Berend Van Den Berg; Marinus Gerardus Schreuder
Original assignee: Fps Food Processing Systems B.V.
Priority date: 2006-05-12
Filing date: 2007-05-14
Publication date: 2007-12-21

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus for forming substantially rectangular, continuous patterns of substantially block-shaped products (P) which are partly rotated at a quarter turn, or a multiple thereof, relative to each other., which are supplied on two conveyors (1a, 1b, 2a, 2b) positioned substantially at the same height, wherein patterns are formed through sliding products or groups of products with a sliding apparatus (4) to a pattern forming location, wherein the products within the said groups have the same orientation, and wherein sliding is carried out in two directions perpendicular to each other and is directed at least perpendicular to a main direction of the block-shaped products.

Description

Pattern former

The present invention relates to an apparatus for forming substantially rectangular, continuous patterns of substantially block-shaped products.

Such an apparatus is known from WO9851596. In this publication, it is described how elongated products, for instance egg boxes, can be placed on, for instance, pallets, while these articles are furthermore grouped in patterns. In order to obtain patterns with articles rotated, for instance, a quarter turn relative to each other, articles on the same conveyor are passed in a predetermined order through a bend. From at least two sliding locations, the articles are pushed away from the conveyor, for instance in mutually perpendicular directions. The articles can be slid directly onto a pallet, or be collected first, whereupon the patterns as a whole are moved further.

Although, in this manner, the articles need not each be separately rotated on the conveyor, it requires the provision of a bend in the feed path of a conveyor. With lack of space, especially in surroundings where packaging tracks link up with sorting tracks on a large scale, it is difficult to apply such a solution.

In order to find a set-up which requires considerably less floor space, the invention provides an apparatus for forming substantially rectangular, continuous patterns of substantially block-shaped products which are partly rotated a quarter turn, or a multiple thereof, relative to each other, and which are supplied on two conveyors located at least substantially at the same height, while the patterns are formed through sliding products or groups of products with a sliding apparatus to a pattern forming location, wherein the products within the groups have the same orientation, and wherein sliding is carried out in two directions perpendicular to each other, while the products are supplied in a conveying direction T by at least two side- by-side first conveyors to a directly adjacent, downstream, joint second conveyor that functions as pattern forming location, wherein, with the sliding apparatus, patterns of products and/or groups of products are obtained through sliding in two mutually perpendicular directions.

With the apparatus according to the invention, with great advantage, a set-up is obtained wherein directly after sorting and filling, patterns of, for instance, boxes, can be composed and wherein patterns in this compact shape can directly thereupon be stacked in outer packages or on pallets.

Further elaborations of the apparatus of the invention are characterized in that with the sliding apparatus, in each of the directions mentioned, patterns of products or groups of products are obtained, while sliding-up is effected in combination with sliding-along and/or sliding-back,- the main direction of the products or group of products on one first conveyor is perpendicular to that of the products or group of products on the other first conveyor, while on one of these first conveyors, the main direction is directed in the conveying direction T; the sliding apparatus comprises at least two parts, called herein a main direction slide and a transverse direction slide, while sliding movements in four directions are enabled, downstream or upstream, and to the left or the right, respectively, when viewed in the conveying direction T; each said part comprises at least a single advancing element which can be positioned at the location of a product or a group of products, while a product or group of products can be slid in one of the four directions mentioned; the main direction slide comprises an endless main conveying element, for instance at least a single endless chain driven by at least a single toothed wheel rotating about a substantially horizontal axle, while the at least one advancing element is connected to the main conveyor, is directed perpendicularly to the conveying direction T, and can further be positioned in substantially vertical direction between a pushing position and a passage position; the transverse slide comprises an endless transverse conveying element, for instance at least a single chain driven by at least a single toothed wheel rotating about a substantially horizontal axle, wherein the at least one advancing element is connected to the said transverse conveying element, is directed perpendicularly to the conveying direction T, and can further be positioned in substantially vertical direction between a pushing position and a passage position; the transverse slide comprises an endless transverse conveying element, for instance at least a single endless conveying element driven by at least one single toothed wheel rotating about a substantially vertical axle, while the at least one advancing element is connected to the said transverse conveying element, is directed parallel to the conveying direction T, and can further be positioned in substantially vertical direction between a pushing position and a passage position; and two advancing elements with opposite conveying pieces are connected to the transverse conveying element while, for the advancing elements, an opposite direction of displacement is effected. Owing to, in particular, the possibilities of sliding along and sliding back, a highly flexible and suitable manner of forming many formats and compositions is obtained.

In the following, on the basis of a few Figures, the invention will be elucidated and described in further detail; wherein Fig. 1 gives a first example of a pattern obtained with the apparatus according to the invention; wherein Fig. 2 gives a second example of a pattern to be composed, and wherein Fig. 3 gives, in perspective, an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, with the pattern according to Fig. 2 therein. In the different Figures, the same pieces or parts are given the same reference numeral or indication.

In Fig. 1, it is schematically indicated how a pattern of hlock-shaped products P, such as, for instance, egg boxes in all sorts of sizes and indicated in a known manner as 2x3, 2x4, 2x5, 2x6 etc. can be realized through sliding movements. Successive situations are indicated with Al, Bl, Cl, Dl, D2, and RlOO for the end situation RlOO with resulting pattern 100.

On the left hand side in this Figure, two groups of three products each are supplied in conveying direction T, each along their own conveying track, and are fed to a joint conveying track which will function as pattern forming location.

These groups, having arrived according to situation Al, are slid sideways along sA, and give situation Bl. Then, a new group is slid alongside, along sB, and hence, in the same direction T, so that situation Cl is formed. The three groups are now slid together according to sC, so that situation Dl is obtained. An identical formation can be obtained and is then called situation D2, after which sliding together in the direction of, for instance, T gives the situation RlOO for the desired end pattern 100. It will be clear to any person skilled in the art that in the two mutually perpendicular directions shown, sliding movements can be carried out which are a combination of sliding up, sliding along and sliding back.

In Fig. 2, a second pattern, and the way of composing it, is shown. Similar products P as mentioned hereinabove for Figure 1 are now supplied along three conveyors, schematically indicated with arrows T on the left hand side in Figure 2 for the conveying direction, while these supply streams converge at a joint pattern forming location. The successive situations are indicated with K, L, M, and R200, which indicates the end situation for the obtained end result with pattern 200. In situation K, it is indicated, successively, how two groups of products P are slid together from two positions according to the arrow combination sK. In situation L, a single product, having first been rotated a quarter turn or, also, a three-quarter turn, is brought alongside or slid alongside by a conveyor according to arrow sL. In situation M, the pattern is finished with a sliding movement sM whereby a pattern R200 is obtained, disposed in a centred manner around a dotted line. In the technical field of egg box packages, such a pattern is widely used and is suitable to be processed further. This mostly means stacking such patterns on a pallet or in an outer box, for instance a display which is immediately ready for retail purposes.

In Fig. 3, an apparatus according to the invention is represented in perspective, with, therein, in particular, the pattern as described hereinabove according to Fig. 2. In conveying direction T, four side-by-side first conveyors (indicated schematically) to be divided over two symmetrical halves, i.e. the first conveyors Ia, 2a and Ib, 2b, supply block-shaped products P, such as, for instance, egg boxes, to a joint second conveyor or conveyor track 3. On the part of the apparatus where this joint conveyor track 3 is located, is the pattern forming location where the products P are shifted for composing the desired patterns. In this exemplary embodiment, the conveyor track 3 consists of freely rotating plastic rollers 31 over which the products can be slid also in transverse direction. The first conveyors Ia, Ib, 2a, 2b can also be designed as freely rotating rollers with pushers or advancing elements or, also, freely rotating rollers, driven through friction with belts passing underneath, or also, and endless belt.

The pattern is formed with a sliding apparatus 4, while sliding in two directions is possible. In the conveying direction T, a main direction slide with advancing elements, attached to, for instance, an endless conveying element can be used, or also, a slide that, each time, pushes up in the direction T. To the skilled person it will be clear that many further elaborations of such a slide can be used.

For sliding in the transverse direction, a transverse slide 5 is provided, with a toothed belt 51, with sliding plates 52a,b, with fastening blocks 53a,b, slide guides 54, 55 and with lift motors 56a,b. By fastening the sliding plates 52a,b on two opposite sides of the toothed belt 51, the slides will always move in opposite directions. A different type of conveyor can also be used. Furthermore, through the use of a lifting mechanism, sliding from one side towards the middle or away from the middle is thus enabled. It will be clear to any person skilled in the art that this structure is accommodated in a housing or frame, to which in particular the slide guides are connected. Such a construction can also be utilized for the main direction slide, for sliding parallel to the conveying direction T. It is further noted that the first conveyors Ia, Ib, 2a, 2b can be part of a conveying system where the products P are already in the correct orientation by already rotating them there through a predetermined angle. In this manner it may be effected that on the first conveyors 2a, 2b, the main longitudinal direction of the block-shaped products extends parallel to the conveying direction, while on the conveyors Ia and 2b, the main longitudinal direction of the block-shaped products extends perpendicular to the conveying direction. These first conveyors can also come directly from a sorting machine, for instance as packaging tracks or packer belts. Furthermore, the first conveyors can have any possible combination of widths, wherein for the pattern according to Fig. 1, two equally wide conveyors are used while for the Figures 2 and 3 two equally wide and one narrower conveyors are used.

It is clearly expressed that for the slide apparatuses and their drives many possibilities are known in this field of technology.

It will be clear to any person skilled in the art that modifications and variants are possible in the exemplary embodiments described hereinabove, which are understood to fall within the scope of protection of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for forming substantially rectangular, continuous patterns of substantially block-shaped products which are partly rotated a quarter turn, or a multiple thereof relative to each other, and which are supplied on at least two conveyors positioned substantially at the same height, wherein patterns are formed through sliding products or groups of products with a sliding apparatus to a pattern forming location, wherein the products within the said groups have the same orientation, and wherein sliding is carried out in two directions perpendicular to each other, wherein the products are supplied in a conveying direction T by at least two side-by-side first conveyors to a directly adjacent, downstream, joint second conveyor that functions as pattern forming location, wherein, with the sliding apparatus, patterns of products and/or groups of products are obtained through sliding in two mutual perpendicular directions.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, with the sliding apparatus, in each of said directions, patterns of products or groups of products are obtained while sliding on is carried out in combination with sliding along and/or sliding back.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main longitudinal direction of the products or group of products on one first conveyor is perpendicular to that of products or groups of products on the other first conveyor, while on one of these first conveyors the main longitudinal direction is directed in the conveying direction T.

4. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sliding apparatus comprises at least two parts, called hereinafter a main direction slide and a transverse direction slide, while sliding movements in at least two directions from a group of four directions is enabled, downstream or upstream, and to the left or the right, respectively, when viewed in the conveying direction T.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each said part comprises at least a single advancing element which can be positioned at the location of a product or a group of products, while a product or group of products can be slid in one of the four said directions.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the main direction slide comprises an endless main conveying element, for instance at least a single endless chain driven by at least a single toothed wheel rotating about a substantially horizontal axle, while the at least one advancing element is connected to the said main conveying element, is directed perpendicular to the conveying direction T and can further be positioned substantially vertically between a pushing position and a passage position.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the transverse slide comprises an endless transverse conveying element, for instance at least a single endless chain driven by at least a single toothed wheel rotating about a substantially horizontal axle, while the at least one advancing element is connected to said transverse conveying element, is directed parallel to the conveying direction T and can further be positioned substantially vertically between a pushing position and a passage position.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the transverse slide comprises a transverse conveying element, for instance at least a single endless chain driven by at least a single toothed wheel rotating about a substantially vertical axle, while the at least one advancing element is connected to the said transverse conveying element, is directed parallel to the conveying direction T and can further be positioned substantially vertically between a pushing position and a passage position.

9. An apparatus according to any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein two advancing elements with opposite conveying pieces are connected to the transverse conveying element, while for the advancing elements an opposite direction of movement is obtained.