WO2012089302A1 - Appareil de sélection d'objets - Google Patents

Appareil de sélection d'objets Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2012089302A1
WO2012089302A1 PCT/EP2011/006190 EP2011006190W WO2012089302A1 WO 2012089302 A1 WO2012089302 A1 WO 2012089302A1 EP 2011006190 W EP2011006190 W EP 2011006190W WO 2012089302 A1 WO2012089302 A1 WO 2012089302A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
objects
orientation
conveyance
holding means
conveyance means
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2011/006190
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Diego Ferrazzin
Michele Pagnoni
Luca Risso
Original Assignee
Philip Morris Products S.A.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Philip Morris Products S.A. filed Critical Philip Morris Products S.A.
Publication of WO2012089302A1 publication Critical patent/WO2012089302A1/fr

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Classifications

    • 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
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/02—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors
    • B65G47/04—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles
    • B65G47/12—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles
    • B65G47/14—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding
    • B65G47/1407—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl
    • B65G47/1442—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl by means of movement of the bottom or a part of the wall of the container
    • B65G47/1471—Movement in one direction, substantially outwards
    • 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
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/22—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors
    • B65G47/24—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors orientating the articles
    • B65G47/256—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors orientating the articles removing incorrectly orientated 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
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
    • B65G47/84—Star-shaped wheels or devices having endless travelling belts or chains, the wheels or devices being equipped with article-engaging elements
    • B65G47/841—Devices having endless travelling belts or chains equipped with article-engaging elements
    • B65G47/843—Devices having endless travelling belts or chains equipped with article-engaging elements the article-engaging elements being suction or magnetic means
    • 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
    • B65G2201/00—Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled
    • B65G2201/02—Articles
    • B65G2201/0226—Cigarettes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a selection apparatus for objects comprising at least two conveyance means.
  • the objects are functional elements of filters for smoking articles that are provided during the manufacturing process of smoking articles in a given orientation.
  • these filter elements have a substantially cylindrical shape.
  • these filter elements are combined with a filtering material in the filter section of a smoking article.
  • the orientation of the filter elements within the smoking article may be important. There is therefore a need to provide filter elements with a certain orientation before the filter elements can be used in the manufacture of a smoking article. Where the filter elements are only provided in an unsorted, random orientation there is a further need for an apparatus and a method that allows for the selection and subsequent transport of filter elements in a determined orientation.
  • US 4 393 973 A discloses a capsule rectification and transport device, wherein capsules are provided in two orientations on a transfer cylinder that is either with a cap portion to the front or in the opposite direction with the body to the front.
  • a pick-off wheel removes all capsules with the cap portion to the front from the transfer cylinder. This is enabled, as the cap portion has a higher diameter and, thus, comes into contact with a slot of the pick-off wheel, which firmly grasps it from the transfer cylinder.
  • the body is to the front, which has a lower diameter and, thus, does not come into contact with the slot of the pick-off wheel, is not engaged by the slot, and, therefore, remains on the transfer cylinder.
  • this teaching requires a very precise orientation of the capsule on the transfer cylinder, such that only capsules in one orientation are grasped by the slots of the pick-off wheel.
  • US 3 933 239 A discloses a capsule positioning machine, wherein capsules may be oriented in two different orientations in pockets of a transfer drum, either with the caps inwardly oriented, or the other way around.
  • the caps When the caps are inwardly oriented in the pockets, they are elastically thrusted into a reduced diameter portion, wherein they are tightly held. However, the capsules in opposite orientation are not held.
  • the pockets of the transfer drum are aligned with the pockets of an inverting drum, the capsules not elastically thrusted into the reduced diameter portion are ejected out of the pockets of the transport drum and into the corresponding pockets of the inverting drum.
  • the inverting drum does not engage the capsules while they are still held in pockets of the transport drum.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a selection apparatus for objects, which enables selecting objects according to their orientation in an economical and flawless manner and to be able to provide objects in at least two different, predetermined orientations.
  • a selection apparatus for objects comprising a first conveyance means comprising a plurality of first holding means.
  • Each of the first holding means is adapted to hold one object in either a first orientation or a second orientation.
  • the selection apparatus according to the invention further comprises a second conveyance means that comprises a plurality of second holding means.
  • the second holding means are adapted to engage all objects held by the first holding means.
  • the plurality of second holding means are adapted such that only the objects in the second orientation are transferred to the second conveyance means and held on the second conveyance means by the second holding means.
  • the engaging of all objects by the second holding means, while the objects are still held by the first holding means enables that the objects are properly defined in their position during the possible transfer process, such that a reliable transfer of objects in the second orientation can be enabled, while objects in the first orientation remain on the first conveyence means.
  • the objects in the first orientation are not transferred to the second conveyance means.
  • the plurality of first holding means may be for example 2 to 500 holding means.
  • the plurality of second holding means may be for example 1 to 500 holding means.
  • the number of first and second holding means may be different from each other.
  • the objects are initially provided on the first conveyance means randomly oriented either in the first or in the second orientation.
  • the first holding means are adapted such that the objects can only be arranged on the holding means in a first orientation or a second orientation, which is preferably an orientation in the opposite direction with respect to the first orientation.
  • the selection apparatus allows that objects in the second orientation are specifically selected by the second conveyance means and further conveyed on the second conveyance means.
  • the objects in the first orientation remain on the first conveyance means.
  • the objects may be engaged by both the first holding means and the second holding means at the same time.
  • parts of the holding means or conveyance means may contact the opposite holding means or the opposite conveyance means, respectively.
  • the second holding means comprises a set of engaging means.
  • a transfer of an object is only affected when all engaging means of a set engage with an object.
  • the set of engaging means on the second holding means is configured, such that some but not all of the engaging means of the set of engaging means are engageable with an object in the first orientation held by the first holding means on the first conveyance means. Accordingly, an object in the first orientation is not transferred to the second conveyance means as not all of the engaging means engage the object.
  • the set of engaging means is further configured such that all engaging means of the second holding means engage with an object in the second orientation. Therefore, an object in the second orientation is transferable to the second conveyance means.
  • each engaging means preferably applies a certain holding force on the object, wherein only the holding force of all engaging means of a set is higher than the holding force of the first holding means on the first conveyance means. Therefore, the object is transferred from the first conveyance means to the second conveyance means if it is in the second orientation.
  • the engaging means are suction holes that engage the objects by means of a negative pressure.
  • This provides the benefit that adjusting the negative pressure in the engaging means enables that the holding force of the engaging means can be adapted to ensure that the objects are properly held by the engaging means, while only objects in the second orientation are transferred to the second conveyance means. If the negative pressure in the engaging means of the second holding means would be adjusted too low, there is a risk that also objects in the first orientation would be transferred to the second conveyance means.
  • the first holding means comprises an arrangement of suction holes, which enables that the objects in the first and second orientation in the first holding means may be engaged by the same number of suction holes.
  • the second holding means preferably comprises an arrangement of suction holes, which enables that the objects in the second orientation are engaged by all suction holes, while the objects in the first orientation are only engaged by some suction holes. This way the objects in the second orientation are transferred to the second conveyance means, while the objects in the first orientation remain in the first conveyance means.
  • the holding force on the first holding means may also be adapted by adjusting the pressure within the suction holes of the first holding means. Further, due to the arrangement of the suction holes of the first holding means as previously described, it can be ensured that objects both in a first and in a second orientation are properly held with the same holding force.
  • the suction holes are provided with a negative pressure from a central suction unit.
  • the central suction unit may either be provided for each conveyance means separately or one central suction unit may be connected to both conveyance means.
  • valves can be provided to properly distribute and adjust the negative pressure.
  • the first holding means comprises an arrangement of suction holes, which all engage both objects in the first and second orientation and provide a holding force that is higher than the holding force applied from the second holding means on an object in the first orientation, but lower than the holding force applied from the second holding means to an object in the second orientation.
  • the first holding means comprises an arrangement of suction holes, which all engage both objects in the first and second orientation and provide a holding force that is higher than the holding force applied from the second holding means on an object in the first orientation, but lower than the holding force applied from the second holding means to an object in the second orientation.
  • the first and the second conveyance means are wheels, wherein the first and second holding means are provided on or in the circumferential outer side of the wheels.
  • the wheels have parallel rotation axes and their circumferences are adapted to be arranged close to each other so that a nip is provided in between the wheels.
  • the wheels are in contact with each other, wherein the nip is provided by recesses in the wheels and wherein the recesses form the holding means or the holding means are arranged in the recesses.
  • the first and the second conveyance means are belts, wherein the first and the second holding means are provided on the outside of the belts.
  • This allows for a more flexible path of conveyance of the objects as compared to the use of wheels. While the wheels allow for guiding the objects with higher accuracy and higher speed, the belts allow for conveying the objects within machines with more complicated geometry. Further, it is also possible to provide a wheel as the first conveyance means and a belt as the second conveyance means or the other way around.
  • the first and second holding means are adapted to hold objects, which are substantially cylindrical with a longitudinal axis, and which comprise a first end portion and a second end portion divided by a constriction in their nappe.
  • the first end portion and the second end portion may be of different lengths in the longitudinal direction.
  • the first and second holding means may comprise recesses with a curvature comprising the same radius as the radius of the nappe.
  • the objects may have a center of gravity which is at the geometric center of the cylinder.
  • the longitudinal axis of the objects may be parallel to the axial direction of the wheels forming the conveyance means.
  • the first holding means comprises a protrusion corresponding to the constriction in the objects, such that the objects are either arranged in the first orientation or in the second orientation in the first holding means, wherein the axis of an object in the first orientation is parallel to and pointing in the opposite direction with respect to the axis of an object in the second orientation.
  • the first and second holding means may comprise a fork that engages in the constriction to center the objects.
  • the engaging means are adapted to engage the nappe of the object.
  • the engaging means engage the nappe of the object in the curved recess on the first or second conveyance means.
  • the engaging means can also be clip means, which are adapted to engage and hold the nappe or constriction of the object by means of an elastic force.
  • the selection apparatus is further provided with a third conveyance means with third holding means, which are adapted to engage with an object held by first holding means, when the object is in a nip provided in between the first conveyance means and the third conveyance means.
  • the third holding means are arranged such that in the nip only the objects in the first orientation are transferred to the third conveyance means and held on the third conveyance means by the third holding means, wherein the objects in the second orientation are not transferred to the third conveyance means.
  • a selection apparatus is provided, which is adapted that all objects in a first orientation are transferred to the third conveyance means. All objects in the second orientation are transferred to the second conveyance means.
  • the second conveyance means and the third conveyance means may be of a similar or identical design, however, with differently arranged holding means to enable only the transferal of the objects in predetermined orientations.
  • the construction details as specified for the second conveyance means, second holding means and engaging means may also be applied identically or similarly to the third conveyance means, third holding means and engaging means on the third conveyance means.
  • the selection apparatus comprises a further feeding means with a hopper, wherein randomly oriented objects are provided in a loading zone.
  • the feeding means further comprises a splitting zone, wherein the objects are aligned with holding means of an additional conveyance means, which engages and further conveys the objects.
  • the additional conveyance means transfers the objects from the feeding means to the first conveyance means.
  • the additional conveyance means may also be the first conveyance means, such that the feeding means is provided with the first conveyance means and feeds objects to the first conveyance means.
  • the feeding means may also be provided without the selection apparatus as a separate invention for providing oriented objects.
  • the splitting zone of the feeding means comprises parallel walls wherein the parallel walls have a distance to each other that is slightly larger than the width of the objects and that is smaller than the length of the objects, such that the objects fit only in between the walls in an orientation in which their width extends in the direction from one parallel wall to the other.
  • the distance in between the parallel walls is between about 1 percent and about 10 percent larger than the width of the objects. More preferably, it is between about 2 percent and about 5 percent larger.
  • the additional conveyance means comprises holding means, which are adapted to engage one of the objects, wherein the holding means are arranged such that they either engage only objects that are in the first orientation or only engage objects that are in the second orientation.
  • a preselection of the orientation of the objects may also be carried out before the first conveyance means. In particular, it can be ensured that a certain percentage of objects in the first orientation and second orientation is provided. Preferably, about 50 percent of the objects are provided in the first orientation and about 50 percent of the objects are provided in the second orientation.
  • the preselection may be less accurate, as a final selection may be carried out by means of the first conveyance means, second conveyance means and in some embodiments by the third conveyance means. Nevertheless, the preselection allows for accelerating the selection process, in particular if the objects tend to be oriented predominantly in one orientation.
  • a feeding means may be provided, which comprises a first orbital bowl feeder, which provides objects in a first orientation and a second orbital bowl feeder, which provides objects in a second orientation, wherein objects in both orientations are fed to the first conveyance means.
  • a first orbital bowl feeder which provides objects in a first orientation
  • a second orbital bowl feeder which provides objects in a second orientation
  • objects in both orientations are fed to the first conveyance means.
  • the fraction of objects in a predetermined orientation may be adjusted by the individual operation speed of the orbital bowl feeders.
  • orbital bowl feeders may be provided as feeding means which provide objects that are randomly oriented in either the first orientation or in the second orientation. The selection apparatus will then select the objects based on their orientation and provide objects in the first orientation at one output and objects in the second orientation at another output.
  • the selection apparatus may comprise a feeding means, which provides objects in one orientation and an inversion means, which changes the orientation of some of the objects, such that objects in the first orientation and objects in the second orientation are fed to the first conveyance means.
  • the inversion means may be preferably an inversion wheel, which comprises a number of slots that are filled with objects from one direction by a conveyance means such as a chain. Then, after the rotation of the inversion wheel the objects are further conveyed by another conveyance means, such as a second chain.
  • the inversion means as described may be provided after the selection apparatus.
  • the orientation of the objects can be changed such that the desired percentage of objects in each orientation can be obtained.
  • about 50 percent of the objects are in the first orientation and about 50 percent of the objects are in the second orientation.
  • a first and a second selection apparatus can be provided, wherein the first and the second selection apparatus provide objects in the first orientation.
  • the objects of one of the selection are inverted by the aforementioned inversion means.
  • a first and a second selection apparatus can be provided, wherein the first selection apparatus provides only objects in the first orientation and the second selection apparatus only provides objects in the second orientation.
  • the invention further relates to a method for selecting objects comprising the steps of providing a first conveyance means comprising first holding means each adapted to hold one object, wherein the first holding means are further adapted such that the objects are arranged in either a first orientation or a second orientation with respect to the first holding means,
  • the method according to the invention further comprises the steps of randomly providing objects in either a first orientation or a second orientation onto the first conveyance means, providing a second conveyance means comprising sets of engaging means, subsequently engaging all objects on the first conveyance means by at least some of the engaging means within a set of engaging means, and transferring only objects of a predetermined orientation to the second conveyance means that are engaged by all engaging means in a set of engaging means.
  • Fig. 1 shows a front view of the selection apparatus, according to an embodiment of the invention
  • Fig. 2 shows a partial view of an embodiment of the first conveyance means with the first holding means and an object arranged on the first holding means;
  • Fig. 3 shows a partial view of an embodiment of the second conveyance means with the second holding means and an object arranged on the second holding means;
  • Fig. 4 shows a view of a feeding means for the selection apparatus, according to an embodiment of the invention
  • Fig. 5 shows a side view of the feeding means according to Fig. 4;
  • Fig. 6 shows a belt with objects arranged thereon as used for the feeding means shown in Fig. 5.
  • a selection apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a feeding means 2, which feeds objects 3 to a first conveyance means 4.
  • the feeding means 2 comprises chains 5 by means of which objects 3 are delivered to a number of slots 6.
  • the slots 6 are arranged in a number of parallel groups.
  • the chains 5 have protruding engagement means in the form of a bar to push the objects along a certain path.
  • the slots 6 are provided with means to maintain the orientation of the objects 3, and the objects 3 move in a direction towards the first conveyance means 4 by gravitational forces or by being subjected to pressurized air or by combinations thereof. Further, vibration applied to the slots 6 may facilitate the movement of the objects 3.
  • the objects 3 have a generally cylindrical form and comprise a constriction in their nappe in which the guides of the slots 6 may engage. Alternatively or additionally, the guides may engage with the flat end surfaces of the generally cylindrical objects.
  • the objects 3 comprise a longitudinal axis 45.
  • the axis 45 is arranged perpendicular to the figure plane of Fig. 1 and can be seen in Figs. 2 and 3.
  • the constriction 7 divides the cylindrical nappe of the object 3 into a shorter first end section 8 and a longer second end section 9.
  • the objects 3 provided in the slots 6 of the feeding means 2 are oriented in both directions, that is with the longitudinal axis 45 being directed into the figure plane or out of the figure plane.
  • the first conveyance means 4 is in the form of a toothed wheel rotating around a central axis 55.
  • the objects 3 are snugly fit between two teeth 10 respectively. Furthermore, centering means 1 1 are provided between the teeth 10. The centering means 1 1 engage the constriction of the objects 3 as can be seen in Fig. 2.
  • Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the radial outer part of the first conveyance means 4.
  • the objects 3 are arranged in two different orientations on the first conveyance means 4, namely a second orientation as shown in Fig. 2, or a first orientation, in which the axis 45 of the object 3 is arranged in the opposite direction.
  • the objects 3 are in a well-defined position as they are held in the circumferential direction by means of the teeth 10 and as they are held in the axial direction by means of the centering means 11.
  • the centering means 1 1 may be a fork-like structure which engages the constriction 7 of the object 3, or may be a protrusion which comprises a circular recess which is open to the outside and in which the constriction 7 snugly fits.
  • suction holes 12 are provided.
  • the suction holes 12 are connected to a suction passage 13.
  • the suction passage 13 is connected to a vacuum pump that provides a negative pressure to the suction holes 12. This creates a suction force that is applied to the nappe of the objects 3.
  • three of the suction holes 12 are covered by the nappe of the object.
  • the three suction holes 12 as seen from the right side would be covered by the nappe of the object 3, while the leftmost suction hole 12 would be left open.
  • a reduced suction force is applied to an object in the first orientation.
  • only the two inner suction holes 12 next to the centering means 1 1 could be provided, which are always in contact with the first and second end section 8, 9, such that no pressure loss occurs as at the open suction hole 12 as shown in Fig. 2.
  • the teeth 10, centering means 11 and suction holes 12 constitute together the first holding means 14.
  • the objects 3 are transported towards the second conveyance means 15 which rotates in the clockwise direction around an axis 57 with a rotational speed, such that the outer circumference of the second conveyance means 15 that is directed to the first conveyance means 14 rotates with the same speed as the outer circumference of the first conveyance means 4.
  • the first conveyance means 4 and the second conveyance means 15 are only divided by a nip 16 which has the size of the diameter of the objects 3, such that the objects 3 can be engaged by the first conveyance means 4 and the second conveyance means 15 at the same time in the nip 16.
  • Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of the radial outer part of the second conveyance means 15.
  • the second conveyance means 15 is in the form of a toothed wheel with teeth 17. Teeth 17 are adapted to hold the object 3 in a circumferential direction on the second conveyance means 15.
  • the second conveyance means 15 comprises centering means 18.
  • the centering means 18 are adapted to hold the objects 3 in the axial direction and center them in a defined position.
  • suction holes 19 are provided in the second conveyance means 15.
  • the suction holes 19 are connected to a suction passage 20.
  • the teeth 17, centering means 18 and suction holes 19 constitute together the second holding means 21.
  • the negative pressure in the suction passages 13 and 20 of the first and second conveyance means 5, 15 and the diameters of suction holes 12 and 19 are adapted such that the force applied to an object 3 in the first orientation by the suction holes 12 on the first conveyance means 4 is higher than the force applied by the suction holes 19 on an object 3 in the first orientation on the second conveyance means 15.
  • the force applied by the suction holes 19 on an object 3 in the second orientation on the second conveyance means 15 is higher than the force applied by the suction holes 12 on an object 3 in the second orientation on the first conveyance means 4.
  • objects 3 in the second orientation are transferred from the first conveyance means 4 to the second conveyance means 15 when they are in the nip 16 and engaged by both the suction holes 12 and 19 of the first conveyance means 4 and the second conveyance means 15 at the same time.
  • the force applied by all first suction holes 12 to the object 3 may be the same in both the first and second orientation of the objects 3.
  • the force applied by all suction holes 19 is higher if the object 3 is in the second orientation and is lower when the object is in the first orientation.
  • the second conveyance means 15 only objects in the second orientation are provided. These objects will be collected in this orientation from the second conveyance means 15 and further processed during the production of a smoking article.
  • the means for collecting the objects 3 from the second conveyance means 15 are not depicted, but preferably conveyance chains are used. Preferably, the objects 3 are collected from the second conveyance means 15 at the uppermost position of the wheel.
  • Objects 3 in the first orientation remain on the first conveyance means 4 and are rotated together with the first conveyance means 4 until they reach a nip 38 between the first conveyance means 4 and a third conveyance means 22.
  • the third conveyance means 22 is rotating in the clockwise direction around an axis 59 with a rotational speed which is adapted so that the circumferential outer surface of the third conveyance means 22 has the same speed as the circumferential outer surface of the first conveyance means 4.
  • the third conveyance means 22 is provided with teeth 23 and centering means similarly as the second conveyance means 15.
  • the third conveyance means 22 has an opposite arrangement of suction holes with respect to the second conveyance means 15, such that objects 3 in the first orientation are engaged by three suction holes, while objects 3 in the second orientation are only engaged by two suction holes. Thus, only objects 3 in the first orientation are transferred to the third conveyance means 22.
  • These objects 3 are collected from the third conveyance means 15 and further processed during the manufacture of smoking articles.
  • conveyance chains may be used.
  • the objects 3 are collected from the third conveyance means 22 at the uppermost position of the wheel.
  • objects 3 which are initially provided in two different orientations on the first conveyance means 4 are selected by a second conveyance means 15 and third conveyance means 22 respectively, such that on the second and third conveyance means 15, 22 only objects 3 in a defined orientation are provided.
  • the feeding means 2 comprises a feeding space 24 to which objects 3 in arbitrary orientations are provided.
  • the dividers 25 are generally parallel vertical plates which have a distance to each other which is slightly larger than the circumference of the cylindrical objects 3.
  • the objects 3 are arranged between the dividers 25, such that their axis 45 is parallel to the extension of the dividers 25.
  • a number of mixing islands 26 are provided, which extend from the dividers 25 into the slots there between to reorient the objects 3.
  • the distance between the dividers 25 is only slightly wider than the diameter of objects 3, but not smaller than the lengths of the objects 3 in the longitudinal direction. Pressured air may be provided through air nozzles to guide the objects 3 and facilitate their alignment.
  • a belt 27 is provided as can be seen in more detail in Figs. 5 and 6.
  • the belt 27 comprises centering means 28 which are adapted to engage within the constriction of the objects 3.
  • protrusions 29 are provided on the belt 27 that delimit the space for the end sections 8, 9 of the objects 3, such that the objects 3 can only be seated in one orientation on the belt 27, namely according to the present embodiment with their shorter first end section 8 in the movement direction of the belt, which is towards the right side in Figs. 5 and 6.
  • the belt 27 moves along the non-aligned objects 3 provided between the dividers 25, wherein some of the objects 3 statistically find their seat within the centering means 28 and protrusion 29 of the belt 27. All objects 3 which are not properly aligned on the belt 27 are removed from the belt 27 by a ramp 30 under which only objects 3 can pass which are properly seated in the belt 27, while the other objects 3 are engaged by the inclined surface of the ramp 30 and removed from the belt 27.
  • the belt 27 provides aligned objects 3 to the chain 5 which further conveys the objects 3 to the slots 6.
  • the belt 27 or a number of belts 27 with different orientations of the seats, comprising the centering means 28 and protrusions 29, statistically substantially the same amount of objects 3 in both orientations is provided to the first conveyance means 4 via the chain 5 and the slots 6, such that the second conveyance means 15 and third conveyance means 22 are provided with substantially the same amount of objects 3.
  • the upper dividers 25 may be movable and may be driven by a motor, such that they are mixing the objects 3 to properly align them between the dividers 25.
  • the mixing islands 26 may be movable and driven to reorient objects 3 which are already comprised between the dividers 25.
  • the first conveyance means 4 is provided with a central transmission wheel 31 , which drives via transmission wheels 32 and 33 a central transmission wheel 34 of the second conveyance means 15, such that the rotation of the second conveyance means 15 is mechanically coupled to the rotation of the first conveyance means 4.
  • a central transmission wheel 31 drives via transmission wheels 35 and 36 the central transmission wheel 37 of the third conveyance means 22.
  • a clip can be provided on the centering means 1 1 , 18, wherein the clip engages the constriction 7 of the object 3.
  • the chain 5 two chains could be provided, wherein between the chains an inversion wheel could be provided which allows to change the orientation of some of the objects by means of rotation.
  • the first chain may feed at least some of its objects to an inversion wheel, which subsequently rotates the objects 3 around 180 degrees.
  • the feeding means of Figs. 4 to 6 may be provided without the selection apparatus as described in Figs 1 to 3.
  • two feeding means of Figs. 4 to 6 may be provided, wherein one of the feeding means provides objects in the first orientation and the other feeding means provides objects in the second orientation.
  • some of the belts in the feeding means may select objects in the first orientation and the other belts may select objects in the second orientation.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un appareil de sélection d'objets (3) qui comporte un premier moyen de transport (4) comprenant une pluralité de premiers moyens de maintien (10), chacun des premiers moyens de maintien étant adapté pour maintenir un objet soit dans une première orientation, soit dans une deuxième orientation. L'appareil de sélection comprend en outre un deuxième moyen de transport (15) comprenant une pluralité de deuxièmes moyens de maintien (17), les deuxièmes moyens de maintien étant adaptés pour entrer en contact avec des objets maintenus par les premiers moyens de maintien. Les deuxièmes moyens de maintien (17) sont adaptés de telle sorte que seuls les objets qui se trouvent dans la deuxième orientation soient transférés au deuxième moyen de transport (15) et maintenus sur le deuxième moyen de transport par les deuxièmes moyens de maintien. La présente invention concerne en outre un procédé de sélection d'objets.
PCT/EP2011/006190 2010-12-30 2011-12-08 Appareil de sélection d'objets WO2012089302A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP10016205.6 2010-12-30
EP10016205 2010-12-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2012089302A1 true WO2012089302A1 (fr) 2012-07-05

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2011/006190 WO2012089302A1 (fr) 2010-12-30 2011-12-08 Appareil de sélection d'objets

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Country Link
WO (1) WO2012089302A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITMI20130259A1 (it) * 2013-02-22 2014-08-23 Bonino S P A Con Unico Azionista Macchina per l'orientamento di oggetti, in particolare tappi
US10045558B2 (en) 2015-02-12 2018-08-14 Hauni Maschinenbau Gmbh Method and apparatus for inserting oriented objects into a filter rod
IT201800005754A1 (it) * 2018-05-28 2019-11-28 Apparecchiatura e procedimento per trasferire oggetti, in particolare componenti per inalatori.

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3933239A (en) 1973-11-15 1976-01-20 Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd. Capsule positioning machine
US4393973A (en) 1978-09-01 1983-07-19 R. W. Hartnett Company Method and apparatus for removing non-rectified capsules from a capsule rectification and transport device
US4500012A (en) * 1982-06-01 1985-02-19 Ackley E Michael Capsule handling apparatus
GB2321441A (en) * 1997-01-22 1998-07-29 Gd Spa Cigarette grouping apparatus
EP1153593A1 (fr) * 1999-02-03 2001-11-14 Shionogi Qualicaps Co., Ltd. Mécanisme de tri de gélules défectueuses

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3933239A (en) 1973-11-15 1976-01-20 Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd. Capsule positioning machine
US4393973A (en) 1978-09-01 1983-07-19 R. W. Hartnett Company Method and apparatus for removing non-rectified capsules from a capsule rectification and transport device
US4500012A (en) * 1982-06-01 1985-02-19 Ackley E Michael Capsule handling apparatus
GB2321441A (en) * 1997-01-22 1998-07-29 Gd Spa Cigarette grouping apparatus
EP1153593A1 (fr) * 1999-02-03 2001-11-14 Shionogi Qualicaps Co., Ltd. Mécanisme de tri de gélules défectueuses

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITMI20130259A1 (it) * 2013-02-22 2014-08-23 Bonino S P A Con Unico Azionista Macchina per l'orientamento di oggetti, in particolare tappi
US10045558B2 (en) 2015-02-12 2018-08-14 Hauni Maschinenbau Gmbh Method and apparatus for inserting oriented objects into a filter rod
IT201800005754A1 (it) * 2018-05-28 2019-11-28 Apparecchiatura e procedimento per trasferire oggetti, in particolare componenti per inalatori.
WO2019228869A1 (fr) * 2018-05-28 2019-12-05 Gima S.P.A. Appareil et procédé pour le transfert d'objets, en particulier de composants pour inhalateurs
US11498775B2 (en) 2018-05-28 2022-11-15 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Apparatus and method for the transfer of objects, in particular components for inhalers

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