Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B65/00—Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided for; Arrangements of such details
  • B65B65/003—Packaging lines, e.g. general layout
  • B65B65/006—Multiple parallel packaging lines
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B35/00—Supplying, feeding, arranging or orientating articles to be packaged
  • B65B35/10—Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles
  • B65B35/26—Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles by rotary conveyors
• • 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
  • B65G29/00—Rotary conveyors, e.g. rotating discs, arms, star-wheels or cones
• • 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
  • B65G47/26—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles
  • B65G47/28—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles during transit by a single conveyor
  • B65G47/29—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles during transit by a single conveyor by temporarily stopping movement
  • B65G47/295—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles during transit by a single conveyor by temporarily stopping movement by means of at least two stopping elements
• • 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
  • B65G47/26—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles
  • B65G47/30—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles during transit by a series of conveyors
  • B65G47/32—Applications of transfer devices

Definitions

• This invention relates to a device for feeding and arranging solid fed products and a machine for packaging solid food products.
• the machine for packaging solid products is used for packaging products in the form of pressed stock cubes, such as those with a cubic or polyhedral shape.
• the machines for packaging solid products comprise, along a feed line:
• a press for compressing the products, starting from a corresponding granular material, configured for feeding individual products (preferably in continuous sequence);
• a device for feeding and arranging products configured for positioning the individual products according to at least one row and, subsequently, for spacing the products from each other before their wrapping (of particular interest in this specification);
• an apparatus for wrapping the product in a respective wrapper configured for picking up individual products from the device for feeding and arranging products and for wrapping the product, with a piece or sheet of film, by folding a sheet about a corresponding product; this apparatus moves intermittently during the steps for processing the product.
• the devices for feeding and arranging products such as pressed stock cubes generally comprise groups of guides for conveying and channelling the products and means configured for the relative longitudinal spacing between the individual products advancing towards the wrapping apparatus located downstream relative to the feed line.
• This device for feeding and arranging products is an extremely delicate and important station for the entire machine, since:
• the aim of the invention is to provide a device for feeding and arranging solid food products, in particular pressed stock cubes, which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.
• a further aim of this invention is to provide a machine for packaging solid food products, in particular pressed stock cubes, which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.
• the aim of the invention is to provide a device for feeding and arranging solid food products, in particular pressed stock cubes, which is able to make the feeding of the individual products to the wrapping apparatus fast, safe and suitable for the production speeds of the wrapping apparatus.
• a further aim of the invention is to provide a device for feeding and arranging solid food products, in particular pressed stock cubes, which is able to have a compact layout keeping a high production capacity together with a high end quality of the product.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with some schematic parts, of a device for feeding and arranging solid food products applied to a machine for packaging solid food products, in particular the pressed stock cubes, according to the invention
• Figure 2 is a schematic side view, with some parts cut away in order to better illustrate others, of a detail of the device of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 is a top plan view, with some parts cut away in order to better illustrate others, of the detail of Figure 2;
• FIG. 4 to 7 illustrate schematic plan views of a corresponding series of steps carried out in a spacing zone of the device for feeding and arranging solid food products in the machine according to the invention and relating to the spacing of solid food products and to the single feeding of a solid food product to a wrapping apparatus;
• FIG. 8 and 9 are both schematic side views of two corresponding steps of spacing and feeding a solid food product to the wrapping apparatus.
• the device for feeding and arranging solid food products according to the invention is applicable to a machine, labelled 100 in its entirety, used for packaging solid food products 1 , in particular pressed stock cubes with a cubic or parallelepiped shape.
• the machine 100 can comprise, along a relative line of extension and along a feed direction D a press 2 for compressing products, starting from a granulated material, configured for producing and feeding, continuously, individual solid food products 1 (the press is illustrated as a block drawn with a dashed line).
• the machine 100 also comprises a device 3 for feeding and arranging solid food products (1 ) arriving from the press 2, configured for receiving and positioning the individual solid food products 1 according to at least one row, starting from a relative inlet end referred to the feed direction D, and, subsequently, for spacing the solid food products 1 relative to each other along the feed direction D, and towards an outlet end of the feed device 3.
• a device 3 for feeding and arranging solid food products (1 ) arriving from the press 2 configured for receiving and positioning the individual solid food products 1 according to at least one row, starting from a relative inlet end referred to the feed direction D, and, subsequently, for spacing the solid food products 1 relative to each other along the feed direction D, and towards an outlet end of the feed device 3.
• the machine 100 also comprises an apparatus 4 for wrapping each individual solid food product 1 in a corresponding wrapper (illustrated in Figure 1 with a block with a dashed line).
• the wrapping apparatus 4 is movable in a discontinuous stepwise fashion.
• the wrapping apparatus 4 is configured for receiving individual solid food products 1 released by the device 3 for feeding and arranging solid food products 1 and for wrapping, with a piece 5 of film, the solid food product 1 by folding the piece of film 5 about a corresponding solid food product 1.
• the device 3 for feeding and arranging solid food products 1 comprises at least one motor-driven conveyor 6 for storing and conveying the solid food products 1 (arriving from the press 2).
• the conveyor 6 is equipped with panels 7 for guiding the solid food products 1 in such a way as to arrange the solid food products 1 in a single row.
• the device 3 comprises at least one unit 8 for the controlled transit of the solid food products 1 arriving from the motor-driven conveyor 6 for accumulating and conveying.
• the unit 8 is equipped with a pair of belts 9 for bilateral gripping and retaining of the solid food products 1 and movable at a speed which can be modified, by means of a corresponding independent drive unit 10.
• This speed of the pair of belts 9 which can be modified makes it possible to maintain a constant control of the position of the solid food products 1 along the extension of a channel defined by the pair of belts 9.
• the device 3 comprises means 1 1 for spacing between successive solid food products 1 at the outlet from an end of the channel defined by the pair of belts 9 and feeding a single solid food product 1 to the apparatus 4 for wrapping the solid food product.
• the device 3 comprises a control unit 12 connected to the independent drive unit 10 of the pair of belts 9 and which is able to modify the feed speed of the pair of belts 9.
• This control is carried out on the position of the solid food products 1 along the channel defined by the pair of belts 9 and at the means 11 for spacing the solid food products 1.
• control device 12 is connected to the independent drive unit 10 of the pair of belts 9 and is able to modify the speed of the pair of belts 9 as a function of the measurement of the position at least of the solid food product 1 fed to the means 1 1 for spacing the solid food product 1 , in such a way as to keep synchronised the position of the solid food product 1 being fed with a picking up operational step of the wrapping apparatus 4.
• the solid food products entering the channel of the pair of belts are controlled in terms of their position and their forward movement towards the launching zone to adapt them and synchronise them to the various functions present in the various operating stations (continuous operation of the press, step by step of the wrapping apparatus).
• control unit 12 comprises a first position measurement sensor 13 positioned along the channel defined by the pair of belts 9 and able to measure the position of each solid food product 1 in the channel defined by the pair of belts 9, and a second measurement sensor 14 positioned at the means 1 1 for spacing the solid food product and able to measure the position of the solid food product 1 leaving the channel defined by the pair of belts 9.
• the first sensor 13 is located upstream of the second sensor 14 relative to the feed direction D.
• control unit 12 is configured for modifying the feed speed of the pair of belts 9 by means of the drive unit 10 so as to keep synchronised the position of the solid food products 1 arriving at the spacing means 1 1 with an operational picking up step of the wrapping apparatus 4 actuated with a predetermined law of motion.
• the device 3 also comprises a unit 19 for processing signals sent by the control device 12 for receiving signals relative to the positions of the products 1 measured by the first and second sensors 13 and 14.
• the processing unit 19 is connected to the drive unit 10 of the pair of belts 9 in such a way as to modify the speed of the pair of belts 9 as a function of the signals sent by the control device 12.
• the processing unit 19 is configured to stop the feeding of the pair of belts 9 if the first sensor 13 detects an anomaly in the signal relating to the position of the solid food products 1 in transit through the channel defined by the pair of belts 9.
• the processing unit 19 is configured for modifying the feed speed of the pair of belts 9 as a function of the signal received from the second sensor 14 relative to the position of the solid food products 1.
• the first sensor 13 can be positioned above the channel defined by the pair of belts 9.
• the second sensor 14 can be positioned above the means 1 1 for spacing the solid food product.
• the second sensor 14 is configured to determine the position of a front wall of the solid food product 1 in transit.
• one between the first sensor 13 and the second sensor 14 comprises an emitter and a receiver positioned, respectively, opposite each other along a substantially vertical line with interposed the products 1 to be detected, and are therefore positioned respectively above and below the channel defined by the pair of belts 9.
• the first sensor 13 and the second sensor 14 each comprise an emitter 13 and 14 and a receiver 13a and 14a positioned respectively opposite each other along a substantially vertical line with interposed the products 1 to be detected and the channel defined by the pair of belts 9.
• the emitter 13 or 14, defining the sensor is positioned at the top and the receiver at the bottom.
• the first sensor 13 may be positioned close to the initial zone of the channel defined by the pair of belts 9 or in an intermediate zone of the channel as a function of the operating requirements of the device 3.
• the logic for controlling and operating the device for feeding and arranging the products 1 therefore comprises:
• the processing unit 19 does not perform any modifications relative to the speed of the pair of belts 9, but maintains the same speed.
• the processing unit 19 sends an appropriate signal to the drive unit 10 of the pair of belts 9 to increase or decrease the speed of the pair of belts 9 in such a way as to keep in phase the position of the products with the operating step of the wrapping apparatus 4.
• the feeding or arranging device 3 may be locked in the presence of a detection by the first sensor 13 of an anomaly in the passage of the products 1 along the channel, for example an empty space between two products 1 in succession, or the complete absence of products 1 being fed.
• the pair of belts 9 is adapted to a cycle time of the wrapping apparatus 4 by means of a self-adaptive “feedback” thanks to the detections of the sensors.
• the control device 12 comprises at least two further sensors 20, 21 for detecting the passage of solid food products 1 , positioned above the accumulation conveyor 6, and connected to the data processing unit 19.
• the sensors 20 and 21 must check for the constant presence of the products being fed and, in the absence of the products 1 , send a signal to the processing unit 19 to activate a machine block.
• the means 1 1 for spacing the solid food product 1 comprise a pair of wheels 15 positioned on opposite sides of a zone for releasing/launching the individual solid food product 1 coming from the pair of belts 9.
• Each wheel 15 being keyed to a motor-driven shaft 16 with a vertical axis Z.
• Each wheel 15 is equipped with at least one circumferential head 17 for contact with a lateral surface of the solid food product 1 in such a way as to allow an acceleration in the movement for feeding the solid food product 1 in contact and which is able to space the solid food product 1 from the next solid food product.
• each wheel 15 comprises three contact heads 17 distributed uniformly along the circumference of each wheel 15.
• Each head 17 is configured to adapt radially to the contact with the solid food product 1 (by compressing an elastic element) and releasing the product through a return to the initial position again through the pushing action of the elastic element during rotation of the wheel 15.
• the spacing means 1 1 comprise a pair of pads 18 positioned on opposite sides of the release/launch zone of the individual solid food product 1 and interposed between the pair of wheels 15 and the pair of belts 9.
• Each pad 18 has a surface in contact with the solid food products 1 being fed, configured to slow down, partly, a solid food product 1 positioned after the solid food product 1 positioned in the launch zone (that is, gripped between the two wheels 15), in such a way as to allow the spacing between the two solid food products.
• the machine 100 comprises an element 22 for pushing the solid food product 1 positioned close to the means 1 1 for spacing and launching the solid food products 1.
• the pushing element 22 is configured to intercept the single spaced solid food product 1 and transport it in the wrapping apparatus 4.
• this pushing element 22 comprises a pair of heads 22a and 22b connected to a kinematic system (not illustrated) which is able to move the two heads 22a and 22b for bringing them into contact with the head and the tail of the solid food product 1 engaged between the pair of wheels 15 and carrying them with a rectilinear movement in the wrapping apparatus 4.
• a kinematic system not illustrated
• the channel defined by the pair of belts 9 has lower guides 90 for supporting the products in the channel during their feeding.
• the lower guides 90 comprise two parallel plates spaced from each other to define a central channel in such a way as to allow the passage of the pushing head 22a close to the zone for spacing and picking up the individual product.
• the wrapping apparatus 4 (ref. Figures 4 to 9) comprises a carousel 23 rotating in a discontinuous stepwise fashion, equipped with a plurality of radial arms 24 each having an end terminal 25 configured for housing a single solid food product 1 to be wrapped in a piece of film 5.
• the carousel 23 is positioned facing the means 1 1 for spacing and launching the solid food products 1 in such a way as to have, in sequence and in a stepwise discontinuous fashion, an end terminal 25 at the means 1 1 for spacing and launching the solid food product 1 for receiving the solid food product itself.
• the piece of film 5 is fed along a direction transversal to the feed direction D and is interposed between the solid food product 1 and the end 25 for receiving both the solid food product 1 and the piece of film 5.
• the two heads 22a and 22b allow the solid food product 1 and the piece of film 5 to house inside the end 25 of the carousel 23 in such a way as to perform the first steps of wrapping the solid food product 1.
• Figures 1 to 4 The flexibility and validity of the solution according to the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 4, wherein the machine comprises two distinct packaging lines side by side and wherein there are a device 3 and a second device 3' for feeding and arranging solid food products 1 which can receive the products from a single press 2.
• the second device 3’ for feeding and arranging solid food products 1 comprises a second motor-driven conveyor 6’ for storing and conveying the solid food products 1 arriving from the press 3 and equipped with panels 7’ for guiding the solid food products 1 , in such a way as to arrange the solid food products 1 in a single row.
• the conveyor 6' is located alongside and parallel to the conveyor 6 for accumulating and conveying the solid food products 1.
• the second device 3' for feeding and arranging comprises a second unit 8’ for the controlled transit of the solid food products 1 arriving from the second storage conveyor 6’.
• the second unit 8’ is equipped with a second pair of belts 9’ for bilateral gripping and retaining of the solid food products 1 and movable at a speed which can be modified, by means of a corresponding independent second drive unit 10’, for maintaining a constant control of the position of solid food products 1 along the extension of the channel defined by the second pair of belts 9’.
• the second device 3' for feeding and arranging comprises second means 1 1 ' for spacing between successive solid food products 1 at the outlet from an end of the channel defined by the second pair of belts 9' and releasing/launching the single solid food product 1 to a second apparatus 4' for wrapping the solid food product and positioned alongside the other wrapping apparatus 4.
• the second device 3' for feeding and arranging comprises a second unit 12’ for controlling the position of the solid food products 1 along the channel defined by the second pair of belts 9’ and at the second means 1 T for spacing the solid food products 1.
• the second control unit 12’ is connected to the second independent drive unit 10’ of the second pair of belts 9’ and being able to modify the speed of the second pair of belts 9’ as a function of the measurement of the position at least of the solid food product 1 fed to the second means 1 T for spacing the solid food product 1 , in such a way as to keep synchronised the position of the solid food product 1 being launched with a picking up operational step of the second wrapping apparatus 4’.
• the second control device 12' is connected to the unit 19 for processing signals sent from the second control unit 12’.
• the processing unit 19 is connected to the second drive unit 10' of the second pair of belts 9' in such a way as to modify the speed of the second pair of belts 9' as a function of the signals sent from the second control unit 12’.
• the processing unit 19 is connected to the drive unit 10 of the pair of belts 9 and to the second drive unit 10' of the second pair of belts 9' so as to synchronise, independently, the speeds of the two pairs of belts 9, 9' as a function of the measured position of the solid food products 1 in the corresponding release zones related to the operational picking up steps of the individual wrapping apparatuses 4, 4’.
• the second packaging line comprises the components described for the wrapping apparatus, for the means for spacing the product, the first and second sensors of the control unit 12 and the heads for accompanying the product.
• the single control unit 19 is connected to the two single drive units 10 and 10' which control independently the two pairs of belts 9 and 9' and has the possibility of always maintaining a control on the phase coordination of both the releases of the product towards the corresponding wrapping apparatuses.
• the structure of the feeding and arranging device therefore makes it possible to adapt quickly and with a very reduced overall size a continuous and non-orderly feeding of solid food products into an ordered and controlled feeding of the products (by controlling their position) towards the wrapping apparatus.
• the device structured in this way creates a synchronism between the press in continuous production and the wrapping apparatus operating with intermittent spacing.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Formation And Processing Of Food Products (AREA)
• Fish Paste Products (AREA)
• Bakery Products And Manufacturing Methods Therefor (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=65576502

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (2)

Citations (4)

• 2018
  • 2018-11-27 IT IT102018000010592A patent/IT201800010592A1/it unknown
• 2019
  • 2019-11-14 EP EP19802024.0A patent/EP3887291A1/de active Pending
  • 2019-11-14 WO PCT/IB2019/059779 patent/WO2020109905A1/en unknown

Patent Citations (4)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events