WO2013055208A2

WO2013055208A2 - Conveyor for trays

Info

Publication number: WO2013055208A2
Application number: PCT/NL2012/050702
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Wilhelmus Johannes DAMEN; Bart Van Walderveen
Original assignee: Moba Group B.V.
Priority date: 2011-10-10
Filing date: 2012-10-10
Publication date: 2013-04-18
Also published as: WO2013055208A3

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for conveying with a conveyor unloaded trays in a row in a conveying direction T in a substantially horizontal conveying plane and cleaning the trays during conveyance, with each tray provided with a relief of pockets for receiving products, for example, but not exclusively, egg trays, the apparatus further comprising: - positioning units for carrying along each successive tray on, and in, a well-defined position of the conveyor, and - a cleaning station for cleaning the trays during conveyance, wherein the cleaning station comprises at least one clamp to deform a tray in at least one direction. It has been found that upon such controlled deforming, egg residues and even whole eggs which have been left in such a tray can be removed and preserved or recovered in a suitable manner and thus can be advantageously used further.

Description

Conveyor for trays

The present invention relates to an apparatus for conveying with a conveyor unloaded trays in a row in a conveying direction T in a substantially horizontal conveying plane and cleaning the trays during conveyance, with each tray provided with a relief of pockets for receiving products, for example, but not exclusively, egg trays, the apparatus further comprising:

- positioning units for carrying along each successive tray on, and in, a well-defined position of the conveyor, and

- a cleaning station for cleaning the trays during conveyance.

An apparatus of this kind is known from JP3099494U. In this prior art document a conveyor for egg trays is shown which are passed along a cleaning station. This cleaning station comprises washing of such unloaded trays, with spraying heads for spraying a cleaning liquid over these trays, and substantially simultaneously brushing them. Especially the removal of dried egg fluid, albumen or yolk, or firmly adherent shell residues is difficult. It has been found that a cleaning over a distance as shown in the above-mentioned document is insufficient in such cases. Only when special combinations of cleaning liquid composition, treatment time, and treatment temperature are used, may adequate cleaning be possible. In respect of such treatment and processing, it is furthermore to be noted that it is costly and has a small processing capacity.

To improve a cleaning as indicated above, the invention is characterized in that the cleaning station comprises at least one clamp to deform a tray at least in one direction. With great advantage, in cleaning with such an apparatus processing times are appreciably shortened and the processing capacity is increased.

Moreover, intact eggs can be preserved in this manner, and further residues can be recovered better.

Furthermore, it has been found that upon such controlled deforming, egg residues and even whole eggs that were left behind in such a tray can be removed and preserved or recovered in a suitable manner, and thus can be advantageously used further.

Further embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention have one or more of the following features:

that the positioning units for each tray comprise a carrier platform having at least one lug fitting into the relief mentioned, and

that the cleaning station comprises at least one bracket unit which presses the tray carried along on the conveyor briefly downwards at two opposite edges, whereby the tray is bent into a plane perpendicular to the conveying plane;

that the cleaning station comprises at least,

- one tray gripper with a clamp which clampingly engages the tray at pickup at at least two opposite edges, whereby the tray is bent at least convexly,

- a turning arm which is connected with the tray gripper, which after clamping and pickup substantially turns the bent tray over, whereby the upper side is turned at least once, and

- a collecting device for collecting and stacking successive turned-over trays; that the clamp on each opposite side mentioned comprises at least one pressing edge connected with a holder plate; and

that the clamp furthermore comprises a press-on bracket arranged between the holder plates mentioned. With great advantage, in this manner, still intact eggs, and even albumen- yolk residue mixture, also referred to as centrifuging eggwhite, can be recovered. Below, the details of an apparatus according to the invention will be elucidated with reference to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment which is represented in the appended drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of a clamp in a situation where a tray is going to be engaged,

FIG. 2 is a similar side elevational view to FIG. 1. in a situation where the tray is clamped,

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the same exemplary embodiment of the clamp in the situation of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus. In the several Figures, the same parts and components are numbered in the same manner.

The drawing shows a non-limiting example of an apparatus provided with a conveyor 1 for conveying trays 40, in particular in a conveying direction T and in a substantially horizontal conveying plane. The apparatus is furthermore configured for cleaning the (unloaded) trays during conveyance. The trays can be, for example, but not exclusively, egg trays.

The apparatus comprises positioning units for carrying along each successive tray on, and in, a well-defined position of the conveyor, as well as a cleaning station 2 for cleaning the trays 40 during conveyance. A possible location of the cleaning station 2 is denoted schematically in FIG. 4, with broken lines. The exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 more particularly concerns an invention for a part of a cleaning station for trays 40, in particular trays 40 which were once loaded with eggs, residues of which may still be in and on such tray 40.

More particularly, the apparatus comprises a clamp 10 to deform a tray 40 to some extent, for example, to bend the tray 40 from a non-bent initial shape to a slightly convex shape.

As is generally known, such trays 40 have a relief of pockets 41, a pocket bottom 42, support posts 43, and a tray edge 44. By virtue of such relief, these trays 40 can not only be loaded with patterns of, for example, 5 x 6 eggs, but also be stacked in that the recesses in the pocket bottom 42 at the underside can be positioned over and onto the eggs of a loaded tray 40 placed under it. In most cases, the trays 40 and the 5 x 6 patterns are such that each next tray 40 in a stack of trays 40 is rotated 90° with respect to the previous tray in the stack (i.e., a subjacent tray). The trays 40 are generally of flexible material, plastic or paperboard.

After the process of picking up the eggs from such tray 40, these trays 40 are placed on a conveyor, more particularly on carrier plates 30, a large number of such plates being arranged in line in a row, or a plurality of rows, to be conveyed to the cleaning station. The carrier plates are connected with the conveyor through connecting lugs 31. In general, the conveyor is an endless conveyor of the carrousel type.

Further, these carrier plates 30 are provided with a placement lug 32 which fits into a central recess of the relief of the pocket bottom 42. In this way, such tray 40 is fixed to a large extent during conveyance with the conveyor. In FIG. 3 a tray conveying direction T is indicated, which lies in a substantially horizontal conveying plane. The present embodiment is such that the trays 40 in the cleaning station 2 are clampingly gripped on such a carrier plate 30, in particular such that their flexibility is utilized to bend the trays to some extent. According to a further elaboration, the apparatus is configured to engage each tray 40 such that the tray 40 is bent from a (relaxed) initial shape to a slightly convex shape, in particular against an inherent resilience of the tray 40.

It has been found that upon this bending, any still-adherent whole eggs, residues of the eggs, i.e., shell parts, caked-on egg, soiling, or any remains of feathers, come loose. This promotes reuse to a considerable extent, whether or not after a subsequent cleaning treatment with liquid.

The clamp 10 according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention shown here comprises two holder plates 11 having connected thereto pressing edges 12 and forks 13a, 13b with pins (which extend opposite the pressing edges 12). As follows from the drawing, each holder plate 11 may be provided, for example, with two forks 13a, 13b, with the forks 13a, 13b of one holder plate 11 extending straight opposite the forks 13a, 13b of the other holder plate 11.

The substantially parallel holder plates 11 are at a mutual intermediate distance that is approximately equal to the length or the width of a tray 40 and are mutually connected by connecting beams 21. The forks with pins are pivotable about fork pin pivots 14 connected with these holder plates 11, and upon pivoting can engage the edges of a tray 40 in the proper direction. Rotation of the forks 13a, 13b is induced by a lever mechanism (not shown here) which is mechanically driven. As follows from the drawing (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 2), opposed ends of a pair of opposite fork pins can move towards each other to some extent during the fork rotation, to engage a tray 40 situated between them. During engagement, the tray 40 can, for instance, move up between the (opposed) fork pins moved towards each other to some extent, so as to move against the pressing edges and be supported against them (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 2). To those skilled in the art it will be clear that similar manners of engagement of the edges 44 are possible.

Further, the present clamp 10 comprises a press-on bracket 20, arranged approximately halfway between the holder plates 11 and parallel thereto, and also connected at its ends to the connecting beam 21. As follows from the drawing, an underside of the press-on bracket 20 extends opposite an upper side of a tray 40, at a relatively short distance therefrom (and in particular opposite upper sides of a number of supporting posts 43 of the tray 40), immediately prior to a moment of engagement of the tray 40 by the clamp 10.

The clamp 10 constitutes in particular the end of an operating arm 50 (not shown in FIGS. 1-3) which picks up, clamps, and bends each successive tray 40, and then, after movement or swing of the arm, turns it over, whereby the top of the tray 40 ends up facing down, to deposit the tray 40 at a further treatment location. This further treatment location can be a preceding tray 40, whereby a stack of inverted trays 40 is formed.

The operation of the clamp 10 shown in FIGS. 1-3 can proceed as follows:

- a carrier plate 30 having thereon a substantially empty tray 40 with residues arrives at this part of the cleaning station 2, i.e., the part with the clamp 10 for picking up the tray 40;

- the clamp 10 engages a tray 40 by placing the pressing edges 12 on the edges 44 of the tray 40 and pivoting the forks 13 a,b with pins around these edges 44;

- simultaneously with the engagement and clamping of the edges 44, the press-on bracket 20 will rest approximately in the middle of the tray 40 on a number of support posts, likewise in the middle of this tray 40, and, upon further clamping, press thereon, against the support being offered by the carrier plate 30;

- this combination of engaging and pressing causes the tray 40 to bend to a slightly convex shape;

- it has been found that upon this bending, the above-mentioned egg residues, and even eggs, become largely or wholly detached.

In another exemplary embodiment, clamping and pressing-on is done briefly, and then followed by release, after which the respective tray 40 is conveyed on the same carrier plate 30 to a next position in the cleaning station.

To those skilled in the art it will be clear that small modifications and variations are possible.

Such modifications and variations are understood to fall within the scope of protection of the appended claims.

According to an alternative elaboration, the cleaning station can comprise, for example, at least one bracket unit which presses the tray, carried along on the conveyor, briefly downwards at two opposite edges, such that the tray is bent in a plane perpendicular to the conveying plane, to thereby loosen or remove egg residues. KEY TO REFERENCE SIGNS

10 clamp

11 holder plate

12 pressing edge

13 fork

13 a,b fork pin

14 a,b fork pin pivot

20 press-on bracket

21 connecting beam

30 carrier plate

31 connecting lug

32 placement lug

40 tray

41 pocket

42 pocket bottom

43 support lug

44 tray ed e

T conveying direction

Claims

1. An apparatus for conveying with a conveyor unloaded trays in a row in a conveying direction T in a substantially horizontal conveying plane and cleaning the trays during conveyance, with each tray provided with a relief of pockets for receiving products, for example, but not exclusively, egg trays, the apparatus further comprising:

- a cleaning station for cleaning the trays during conveyance,

characterized in that

the cleaning station comprises at least one clamp to deform a tray in at least one direction.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that

the positioning units for each tray comprise a carrier platform having at least one lug fitting into said relief.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cleaning station comprises at least one bracket unit which presses the tray carried along on the conveyor briefly downwards at two opposite edges, whereby the tray is bent into a plane perpendicular to the conveying plane.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

the cleaning station comprises at least:

- one tray gripper with a clamp which is configured to clampingly engage the tray, at pickup, at at least two opposite edges, in particular such that the tray is bent at least convexly.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning station comprises:

- a turning arm which is connected with the tray gripper which after clamping and pickup substantially turns the bent tray over, whereby the upper side is turned over at least a single time.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the cleaning station comprises:

- a collecting device for collecting and stacking successive turned-over trays.

7. An apparatus according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that the clamp on said each opposite side comprises at least one pressing edge connected with a holder plate.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that

the clamp furthermore comprises a press-on bracket arranged between said holder plates.

9. A method for cleaning unloaded trays, with each tray provided with a relief of pockets for receiving products, for example, but not exclusively, egg trays, the cleaning method comprising:

deforming each tray in at least one direction, in particular utilizing an apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the tray is bent from an initial shape to a slightly convex shape.

11. A method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the trays are conveyed to a cleaning station on carrier plates, wherein the trays in the cleaning station are each picked up and deformed by a clamp.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the clamp forms the end of an operating arm which picks up, clamps, and bends each tray, and then, after movement or swing of the arm, turns it over, to lay the tray on a further treatment location.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein a tray supplied on a carrier plate is briefly deformed by the clamp, and then released again, whereupon the respective tray is conveyed on the same carrier plate to a next position in the cleaning station.

14. A method according to any one of claims 9-13, comprising the cleaning of the tray by means of a cleaning treatment with liquid, after said deforming of the tray.