WO2022249022A1 - Station and method for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field - Google Patents

Station and method for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022249022A1
WO2022249022A1 PCT/IB2022/054790 IB2022054790W WO2022249022A1 WO 2022249022 A1 WO2022249022 A1 WO 2022249022A1 IB 2022054790 W IB2022054790 W IB 2022054790W WO 2022249022 A1 WO2022249022 A1 WO 2022249022A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
conveyor
article
articles
feeding area
anthropomorphic arm
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2022/054790
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Gabriele NEVA
Luca Mariani
Luca Testoni
Luca Lanzarini
Original Assignee
G.D Societa' Per Azioni
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 G.D Societa' Per Azioni filed Critical G.D Societa' Per Azioni
Priority to DE112022002781.9T priority Critical patent/DE112022002781T5/en
Publication of WO2022249022A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022249022A1/en

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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
    • B65G47/22—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
    • 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
    • B65G47/06—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines
    • B65G47/08—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines spacing or grouping the articles during feeding
    • B65G47/082—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines spacing or grouping the articles during feeding grouping articles in rows
    • 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
    • B65G47/842—Devices having endless travelling belts or chains equipped with article-engaging elements the article-engaging elements being grippers

Definitions

  • the present invention falls within the technical field of feeding and orienting articles.
  • the present invention relates to a station and to a method for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field.
  • the present invention furthermore relates to a method for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field.
  • the bottles must be transported by the conveyor with a specific orientation: for example, they must have a vertical orientation with the relative opening arranged upwards or downwards depending on the operation to be performed (which, in the case described, could be filling or washing).
  • the bottles are oriented with manual or semi automatic systems upstream of the conveyor, and then fed with the same systems towards the conveyor.
  • the patent application EP2899148A describes a station for feeding and orienting cylindrical articles provided with a robot which picks up the cylindrical articles from a first conveyor in order to insert the cylindrical articles into corresponding seats of a second conveyor.
  • the purpose of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.
  • This purpose is achieved by proposing a station and a method for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field, according to the attached claims.
  • the station and the method according to the present invention ensure that the articles are correctly oriented and fed to the conveyor.
  • FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a station for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field, according to the present invention
  • FIG. 1 is an enlarged partial plan view of the station of Figure 1;
  • FIG. 3 is an enlargement of a part of the station of Figure 1;
  • FIG. 4 is a side view of the station of Figure 1;
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a detail of the station of Figure 1.
  • indicated by 1 is a station for feeding and orienting articles B, in particular bottles B of the pharmaceutical field, according to the present invention.
  • the station 1 comprises: a conveyor 2, having a plurality of seats 20 each for receiving an article B with a specific orientation, which is movable in a conveying direction D; and a feeding area 3 (indicated in Figures 1-3) where the articles B are fed with a random arrangement and orientation (namely, with a non-specific arrangement and orientation).
  • the station 1 furthermore comprises: at least a first anthropomorphic arm 4 (namely, an anthropomorphic robot) provided with a gripping hand 40 for picking up an article B from the feeding area 3, for orienting the article B with the specific orientation and bringing the oriented article B into an empty seat 20 of the conveyor 2, preferably during the movement of the conveyor 2 (see Figure 3 in detail).
  • the station 1 also comprises detection means 5, connected to the first anthropomorphic arm 4 (namely, able to communicate with the first anthropomorphic arm 4 as will be better clarified in the following), for detecting the arrangement and orientation of the articles B in the feeding area 3.
  • the presence of the first anthropomorphic arm 4, which cooperates with the detection means 5, allows each article B to be picked up and oriented correctly in order to arrange the same into a seat 20 of the conveyor 2.
  • the detection means 5 allow to detect the exact arrangement and orientation of the articles B in the feeding area 3, so that the first anthropomorphic arm 4 can pick up the same with the relative gripping hand 40 and orient them correctly, by arranging them into a seat 20 of the conveyor 2.
  • the first anthropomorphic arm 4 is arranged above the feeding area 3 (see Figures 1-3).
  • the detection means 5 are arranged above the feeding area 3, preferably so as to face the feeding area 3.
  • the station 1 furthermore comprises optical means 6, for detecting, during the advancement of the conveyor 2, whether each seat 20 of the conveyor 2 is empty or full (namely, whether an article B has already been inserted or not into the same).
  • the optical means 6 (represented by way of example in Figures 2, 3 and 5) are connected to at least the first anthropomorphic arm 4 (namely, they are able to communicate with the first anthropomorphic arm 4).
  • this aspect allows to check the actual state of each seat 20 (empty or full) and the first anthropomorphic arm 4 can thus bring an oriented article B into an empty seat 20.
  • the station 1 furthermore comprises at least a second anthropomorphic arm 7 (namely, an anthropomorphic robot), arranged downstream of the first anthropomorphic arm 4 along the conveying direction D and provided with a gripping hand 70 to pick up an article B from the feeding area 3, to orient article B with the specific orientation and to bring the oriented article B into an empty seat 20 of the conveyor 2, preferably during the movement of the conveyor 2.
  • a second anthropomorphic arm 7 namely, an anthropomorphic robot
  • the second anthropomorphic arm 7 (shown in Figures 1 and 4) is preferably connected to the detection means 5 (namely, it is able to communicate with the detection means 5).
  • the second anthropomorphic arm 7 is preferably connected to the optical means 6 (namely, it is able to communicate with the optical means 6).
  • the presence of the second anthropomorphic arm 7 allows to avoid possible errors during feeding of the articles B to the conveyor 2. For example, in the case where the first anthropomorphic arm 4 has left a seat 20 of the conveyor 2 empty, namely, it did not fill the same with an article B, the empty seat 20 would be filled by an article B brought by the second anthropomorphic arm 7, due to the optical means 6 which detect the state of the seat 20 (namely, in this case, detect the same empty).
  • the presence of the second anthropomorphic arm 7 clearly also increases the productivity of the entire station 1 (namely, a reduction in the time required to feed the seats 20 of the conveyor 2).
  • the first anthropomorphic arm 4 and the second anthropomorphic arm 7 are independent from one another.
  • the first anthropomorphic arm 4 and the second anthropomorphic arm 7 can operate simultaneously.
  • anthropomorphic arms 4, 7 may be present, as in the case illustrated in Figure 1 where there are four (namely, where also a third 71 and a fourth 72 anthropomorphic arm are provided, configured in an identical manner as those already described and shown in Figures 1 and 4): in this way the productivity of the station 1 is optimized and the probability that a seat 20 will be left empty is reduced.
  • the feeding area 3 comprises a conveyor belt 3 arranged next to the conveyor 2 and movable in a feeding direction A parallel to the conveying direction D and in the same direction as the conveyor 2.
  • this characteristic allows the articles B to be moved parallel to the conveyor 2 and to be easily picked up by an anthropomorphic arm in order to be arranged within a seat 20.
  • the conveyor 2 and/or the conveyor belt 3 move continuously to optimize the productivity of the station.
  • the conveyor 2 and/or the conveyor belt 3 move intermittently.
  • the station 1 furthermore comprises lighting means 8 (indicated only for representative reasons) arranged underneath the feeding area 3 for lighting the feeding area 3 during the detection of the detection means 5.
  • the lighting means 8 can comprise one or more lighting sources.
  • the detection means 5 comprise at least a video camera 5 or a camera 5 associated with each anthropomorphic arm 4, 7, 71, 72.
  • the optical means 6 comprise at least a sensor 6 associated with each anthropomorphic arm 4, 7, 71, 72, preferably a photocell
  • the lighting means 8 can also be associated with each anthropomorphic arm 4, 7, 71, 72 namely a specific area of the feeding area 3 where each anthropomorphic arm 4, 7, 71, 72 operates.
  • the conveyor 2 comprises a fixed frame 21 and a portion 22 movable (with respect to the fixed frame) at least partially in the conveying direction D, which brings the seats 20.
  • the optical means 6 are arranged at the fixed frame 21 of the conveyor 2.
  • the articles B are bottles B of the pharmaceutical field and wherein each seat 20 of the conveyor 2 is arranged to receive and hold a bottle B in a vertical orientation.
  • the specific orientation of the bottles B is the vertical one, that is, with the relative longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the ground and to the conveying direction D.
  • the conveyor 2 is a closed-loop conveyor 2.
  • the conveying direction D refers to the direction of the active branch of the conveyor.
  • the conveyor 2 illustrated (see in particular Figure 4) is provided with pincers 200 between the tines of which the aforementioned seats 20 are defined.
  • the pincers 200 are designed to hold the bottles B vertically “upside down” at the relative neck.
  • the present invention furthermore relates to a method for feeding and orienting articles B, in particular bottles B of the pharmaceutical field, which can be implemented for example by means of the station 1 described above.
  • the method comprises the steps of: - providing a conveyor 2 having a plurality of seats 20 each for receiving an article B with a specific orientation; the conveyor 2 is movable in a conveying direction D; feeding the articles B with a random arrangement and orientation in a feeding area 3; - detecting the arrangement and the orientation of the articles
  • a first anthropomorphic arm 4 namely, an anthropomorphic robot
  • a gripping hand 40 an article B from the feeding area 3
  • the method according to the present invention allows to correctly orient an article B in order to feed it correctly oriented to the conveyor 2, thus avoiding unwanted jamming and/or stops that occurred in the known art, and increasing productivity with respect to the known methods.
  • the method furthermore comprises the steps of:
  • this aspect allows to control the actual state of each seat 20 (empty or full) and the first anthropomorphic arm 4 can thus bring an oriented article B into an empty seat 20.
  • the method comprises the step of:
  • a second anthropomorphic arm 7 namely, an anthropomorphic robot
  • a gripping hand 70 preferably arranged downstream of the first anthropomorphic arm 4 along the feeding direction A, an article B from the feeding area 3;
  • the presence of the second anthropomorphic arm 7 allows to avoid possible errors during feeding of the articles B to the conveyor 2.
  • the first anthropomorphic arm 4 has left a seat 20 of the conveyor 2 empty, the same would be filled with an article B brought by the second anthropomorphic arm 7, due to the step of detecting, during the advancement of the conveyor 2, whether each seat 20 is empty or full.
  • the method comprises the step of: - detecting the arrangement and the orientation of the articles
  • the invention is not limited to the application of bottles B of the pharmaceutical field, but is also adapted for other types of articles B such as: containers of the foodstuff and/or cosmetic field, consumer products of various kinds (tubes, cases, etc.), in particular for all those articles B that need to be oriented in order to allow a subsequent operation.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
  • Feeding Of Articles To Conveyors (AREA)
  • Attitude Control For Articles On Conveyors (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a station (1) for feeding and orienting articles (B), in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field, having: a conveyor (2) having a plurality of seats (20) each for receiving an article (B) with a specific orientation; the conveyor (2) being movable in a conveying direction (D); a feeding area (3) wherein the articles (B) are fed with random arrangement and orientation; at least a first anthropomorphic arm (4) provided with a gripping hand (40) for picking up an article (B) from the feeding area (3), for orienting the article (B) with the specific orientation and bringing the oriented article (B) into an empty seat (20) of the conveyor (2); detection means (5), connected to the first anthropomorphic arm (4), for detecting the arrangement and orientation of the articles (B) in the feeding area (3).

Description

"STATION AND METHOD FOR FEEDING AND ORIENTING ARTICLES, IN
PARTICULAR BOTTLES OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL FIELD"
Cross-Reference to Related Applications This patent application claims priority of Italian Patent Application No. 102021000013367 filed on May 24, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Technical Field of the Invention The present invention falls within the technical field of feeding and orienting articles.
In detail, the present invention relates to a station and to a method for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field.
State of the Art Stations for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field, to which reference will be made in the following by way of example, without thereby losing generality, are known. These stations generally comprise a feeding area in which the bottles are arranged in a random orientation and arrangement in order to then be transferred to a conveyor which transports the bottles to subsequent operating stations (e.g., washing, filling, etc.).
To carry out the subsequent operations, the bottles must be transported by the conveyor with a specific orientation: for example, they must have a vertical orientation with the relative opening arranged upwards or downwards depending on the operation to be performed (which, in the case described, could be filling or washing). For this purpose, the bottles are oriented with manual or semi automatic systems upstream of the conveyor, and then fed with the same systems towards the conveyor.
However, these known systems do not guarantee that the articles are correctly oriented before being fed to the conveyor, creating unwanted jamming and/or stops which affect the overall productivity.
The patent application EP2899148A describes a station for feeding and orienting cylindrical articles provided with a robot which picks up the cylindrical articles from a first conveyor in order to insert the cylindrical articles into corresponding seats of a second conveyor. Subject and Summary of the Invention
The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks. This purpose is achieved by proposing a station and a method for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field, according to the attached claims. Advantageously, the station and the method according to the present invention ensure that the articles are correctly oriented and fed to the conveyor.
Brief Description of the Drawings Other advantageous aspects will be better described in the following disclosure, with reference to the attached drawing tables, wherein:
- Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a station for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field, according to the present invention;
- Figure 2 is an enlarged partial plan view of the station of Figure 1;
- Figure 3 is an enlargement of a part of the station of Figure 1;
- Figure 4 is a side view of the station of Figure 1;
- Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a detail of the station of Figure 1. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of The Invention
According to the attached Figures 1-4, indicated by 1 is a station for feeding and orienting articles B, in particular bottles B of the pharmaceutical field, according to the present invention.
The station 1 comprises: a conveyor 2, having a plurality of seats 20 each for receiving an article B with a specific orientation, which is movable in a conveying direction D; and a feeding area 3 (indicated in Figures 1-3) where the articles B are fed with a random arrangement and orientation (namely, with a non-specific arrangement and orientation). The station 1 furthermore comprises: at least a first anthropomorphic arm 4 (namely, an anthropomorphic robot) provided with a gripping hand 40 for picking up an article B from the feeding area 3, for orienting the article B with the specific orientation and bringing the oriented article B into an empty seat 20 of the conveyor 2, preferably during the movement of the conveyor 2 (see Figure 3 in detail).
The station 1 also comprises detection means 5, connected to the first anthropomorphic arm 4 (namely, able to communicate with the first anthropomorphic arm 4 as will be better clarified in the following), for detecting the arrangement and orientation of the articles B in the feeding area 3.
Advantageously, the presence of the first anthropomorphic arm 4, which cooperates with the detection means 5, allows each article B to be picked up and oriented correctly in order to arrange the same into a seat 20 of the conveyor 2. In fact, the detection means 5 allow to detect the exact arrangement and orientation of the articles B in the feeding area 3, so that the first anthropomorphic arm 4 can pick up the same with the relative gripping hand 40 and orient them correctly, by arranging them into a seat 20 of the conveyor 2.
Therefore, unwanted jamming and/or stops which occurred in the known art are thus avoided, and the productivity, with respect to known stations, is increased.
With reference to the attached figures, the first anthropomorphic arm 4 is arranged above the feeding area 3 (see Figures 1-3). With reference to the attached figures, the detection means 5 are arranged above the feeding area 3, preferably so as to face the feeding area 3.
Preferably, the station 1 furthermore comprises optical means 6, for detecting, during the advancement of the conveyor 2, whether each seat 20 of the conveyor 2 is empty or full (namely, whether an article B has already been inserted or not into the same). The optical means 6 (represented by way of example in Figures 2, 3 and 5) are connected to at least the first anthropomorphic arm 4 (namely, they are able to communicate with the first anthropomorphic arm 4). Advantageously, this aspect allows to check the actual state of each seat 20 (empty or full) and the first anthropomorphic arm 4 can thus bring an oriented article B into an empty seat 20.
According to the preferred embodiment, the station 1 furthermore comprises at least a second anthropomorphic arm 7 (namely, an anthropomorphic robot), arranged downstream of the first anthropomorphic arm 4 along the conveying direction D and provided with a gripping hand 70 to pick up an article B from the feeding area 3, to orient article B with the specific orientation and to bring the oriented article B into an empty seat 20 of the conveyor 2, preferably during the movement of the conveyor 2.
The second anthropomorphic arm 7 (shown in Figures 1 and 4) is preferably connected to the detection means 5 (namely, it is able to communicate with the detection means 5). The second anthropomorphic arm 7 is preferably connected to the optical means 6 (namely, it is able to communicate with the optical means 6). Advantageously, the presence of the second anthropomorphic arm 7 allows to avoid possible errors during feeding of the articles B to the conveyor 2. For example, in the case where the first anthropomorphic arm 4 has left a seat 20 of the conveyor 2 empty, namely, it did not fill the same with an article B, the empty seat 20 would be filled by an article B brought by the second anthropomorphic arm 7, due to the optical means 6 which detect the state of the seat 20 (namely, in this case, detect the same empty). The presence of the second anthropomorphic arm 7 clearly also increases the productivity of the entire station 1 (namely, a reduction in the time required to feed the seats 20 of the conveyor 2).
The first anthropomorphic arm 4 and the second anthropomorphic arm 7 are independent from one another. The first anthropomorphic arm 4 and the second anthropomorphic arm 7 can operate simultaneously.
It is understood that more than two anthropomorphic arms 4, 7 may be present, as in the case illustrated in Figure 1 where there are four (namely, where also a third 71 and a fourth 72 anthropomorphic arm are provided, configured in an identical manner as those already described and shown in Figures 1 and 4): in this way the productivity of the station 1 is optimized and the probability that a seat 20 will be left empty is reduced.
In the case of two or more anthropomorphic arms, 4, 7, 71, 72 each can be arranged to operate in a specific area of the feeding area 3, as in the illustrated case. According to the illustrated embodiment, the feeding area 3 comprises a conveyor belt 3 arranged next to the conveyor 2 and movable in a feeding direction A parallel to the conveying direction D and in the same direction as the conveyor 2. Advantageously, this characteristic allows the articles B to be moved parallel to the conveyor 2 and to be easily picked up by an anthropomorphic arm in order to be arranged within a seat 20.
Preferably, the conveyor 2 and/or the conveyor belt 3 move continuously to optimize the productivity of the station. Alternatively, the conveyor 2 and/or the conveyor belt 3 move intermittently.
According to the preferred embodiment, the station 1 furthermore comprises lighting means 8 (indicated only for representative reasons) arranged underneath the feeding area 3 for lighting the feeding area 3 during the detection of the detection means 5. This aspect offers the advantage of improving the detection of the articles B in the feeding area 3. The lighting means 8 can comprise one or more lighting sources.
Preferably, the detection means 5 comprise at least a video camera 5 or a camera 5 associated with each anthropomorphic arm 4, 7, 71, 72.
The optical means 6 comprise at least a sensor 6 associated with each anthropomorphic arm 4, 7, 71, 72, preferably a photocell
6.
The lighting means 8 can also be associated with each anthropomorphic arm 4, 7, 71, 72 namely a specific area of the feeding area 3 where each anthropomorphic arm 4, 7, 71, 72 operates.
Preferably, the conveyor 2 comprises a fixed frame 21 and a portion 22 movable (with respect to the fixed frame) at least partially in the conveying direction D, which brings the seats 20. For example, the optical means 6 are arranged at the fixed frame 21 of the conveyor 2.
With reference to the attached figures, the articles B are bottles B of the pharmaceutical field and wherein each seat 20 of the conveyor 2 is arranged to receive and hold a bottle B in a vertical orientation. For the case illustrated, therefore, the specific orientation of the bottles B is the vertical one, that is, with the relative longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the ground and to the conveying direction D.
The conveyor 2, with reference to the attached figures, is a closed-loop conveyor 2. The conveying direction D refers to the direction of the active branch of the conveyor.
The conveyor 2 illustrated (see in particular Figure 4) is provided with pincers 200 between the tines of which the aforementioned seats 20 are defined. In the case of the attached figures, the pincers 200 are designed to hold the bottles B vertically "upside down" at the relative neck.
The present invention furthermore relates to a method for feeding and orienting articles B, in particular bottles B of the pharmaceutical field, which can be implemented for example by means of the station 1 described above.
The method comprises the steps of: - providing a conveyor 2 having a plurality of seats 20 each for receiving an article B with a specific orientation; the conveyor 2 is movable in a conveying direction D; feeding the articles B with a random arrangement and orientation in a feeding area 3; - detecting the arrangement and the orientation of the articles
B in the feeding area 3;
- picking up, by means of a first anthropomorphic arm 4 (namely, an anthropomorphic robot) provided with a gripping hand 40, an article B from the feeding area 3; - orienting the article B by means of the first anthropomorphic arm 4 provided with the gripping hand 40 with the specific orientation;
- bringing the oriented article B into an empty seat 20 of the conveyor 2, preferably during the movement of the conveyor 2.
Advantageously, the method according to the present invention allows to correctly orient an article B in order to feed it correctly oriented to the conveyor 2, thus avoiding unwanted jamming and/or stops that occurred in the known art, and increasing productivity with respect to the known methods.
Preferably, the method furthermore comprises the steps of:
- detecting, during the advancement of the conveyor 2, whether each seat 20 is empty or full; and
- communicating the outcome of the detection to at least the first anthropomorphic arm 4.
Advantageously, this aspect allows to control the actual state of each seat 20 (empty or full) and the first anthropomorphic arm 4 can thus bring an oriented article B into an empty seat 20.
According to the preferred embodiment, the method comprises the step of:
- picking up, by means of a second anthropomorphic arm 7 (namely, an anthropomorphic robot) provided with a gripping hand 70 (preferably arranged downstream of the first anthropomorphic arm 4 along the feeding direction A), an article B from the feeding area 3;
- orienting the article B by means of the second anthropomorphic arm 7 provided with the gripping hand 70 with the specific orientation; communicating the outcome of the detection to the second anthropomorphic arm 7; and
- bringing the oriented article B into an empty seat 20 of the conveyor 2, preferably during the movement of the conveyor 2.
Advantageously, the presence of the second anthropomorphic arm 7 allows to avoid possible errors during feeding of the articles B to the conveyor 2. For example, in the case where the first anthropomorphic arm 4 has left a seat 20 of the conveyor 2 empty, the same would be filled with an article B brought by the second anthropomorphic arm 7, due to the step of detecting, during the advancement of the conveyor 2, whether each seat 20 is empty or full.
Preferably, before the step of picking up an article B from the feeding area 3 by means of a second anthropomorphic arm 7 provided with a gripping hand 70, the method comprises the step of: - detecting the arrangement and the orientation of the articles
B in the feeding area 3.
In other words, the arrangement and the orientation of the articles B is detected again in order to optimize the action of the second anthropomorphic arm 7.
However, for further advantages linked to the method, reference can be made to what has been said for the station 1 mentioned above.
It is understood that the invention is not limited to the application of bottles B of the pharmaceutical field, but is also adapted for other types of articles B such as: containers of the foodstuff and/or cosmetic field, consumer products of various kinds (tubes, cases, etc.), in particular for all those articles B that need to be oriented in order to allow a subsequent operation.

Claims

1) A station (1) for feeding and orienting articles (B), in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field, comprising:
- a conveyor (2) having a plurality of seats (20) each for receiving an article (B) with a specific orientation; the conveyor (2) being movable in a conveying direction (D); - a feeding area (3) wherein the articles (B) are fed with random arrangement and orientation; at least a first anthropomorphic arm (4) provided with a gripping hand (40) for picking up an article (B) from the feeding area (3), for orienting the article (B) with the specific orientation and bringing the oriented article (B) into an empty seat (20) of the conveyor (2); and
- detection means (5), connected to the first anthropomorphic arm (4), for detecting the arrangement and the orientation of the articles (B) in the feeding area (3).
2) The station (1) according to the preceding claim, further comprising:
- optical means (6), for detecting, during the advancement of the conveyor (2), whether each seat (20) is empty or full; the optical means (6) being connected to at least the first anthropomorphic arm (4).
3) The station (1) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: - at least a second anthropomorphic arm (7) arranged downstream of the first anthropomorphic arm (4) along the conveying direction (D) and provided with a gripping hand (70) for picking up an article (B) from the feeding area (3) and bringing the oriented article (B) into an empty seat (20) of the conveyor (2) with the specific orientation; the second anthropomorphic arm (7) being connected to the detection means (5) and preferably to the optical means (6).
4) The station (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the feeding area (3) comprises at least a conveyor belt
(3) arranged next to the conveyor (2) and movable in a feeding direction (A) parallel to the conveying direction (D) and in the same direction as the conveyor (2). 5) The station (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising lighting means (8) arranged underneath the feeding area (3) for lighting the feeding area (3) during the detection of the detection means (5). 6) The station (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the detection means (5) comprise at least a video camera (5) or a camera (5) associated with each anthropomorphic arm (4, 7) and the optical means (6) comprise at least a sensor (6) associated with each anthropomorphic arm (4, 7), preferably a photocell (6).
7) The station (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor (2) comprises a fixed frame (21) and a portion (22) movable in the conveying direction (D) and that carries the seats (20); and wherein the optical means (6) are arranged at the fixed frame (21) of the conveyor (2). 8) The station (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the articles (B) are bottles of the pharmaceutical field and wherein each seat (20) of the conveyor (2) is designed to receive and hold a bottle (B) having a vertical orientation. 9) A method for feeding and orienting articles (B), in particular bottles (B) of the pharmaceutical field, comprising the steps of:
- providing a conveyor (2) having a plurality of seats (20) each for receiving an article (B) with a specific orientation; the conveyor (2) being movable in a conveying direction (D);
- feeding articles (B) with a random arrangement and orientation in a feeding area (3);
- detecting the arrangement and orientation of the articles (B) in the feeding area (3); - picking up an article (B) from the feeding area (3) by means of at least a first anthropomorphic arm (4) provided with a gripping hand (40); - orienting the article (B) by means of the first anthropomorphic arm (4) provided with the gripping hand (40) with the specific orientation; and
- bringing the oriented article (B) into an empty seat (20) of the conveyor (2).
10) The method according to the preceding claim, further comprising the steps of: - detecting whether each seat (20) is empty or full during the advancement of the conveyor (2); and
- communicating the outcome of the detection to at least the first anthropomorphic arm (4).
11) The method according to the preceding claim, comprising the steps of:
- picking up an article (B) from the feeding area (3) by means of a second anthropomorphic arm (7) provided with a gripping hand (70); orienting the article (B) by means of the second anthropomorphic arm (7) provided with the gripping hand (40) with the specific orientation; communicating the outcome of the detection to the second anthropomorphic arm (7); and
- bringing the oriented article (B) into an empty seat (20) of the conveyor (2). 12) The method according to the preceding claim, comprising, before the step of picking up an article (B) from the feeding area (3) by means of a second anthropomorphic arm (7) provided with a gripping hand (70), the step of: - detecting the arrangement and orientation of the articles (B) in the feeding area (3).
PCT/IB2022/054790 2021-05-24 2022-05-23 Station and method for feeding and orienting articles, in particular bottles of the pharmaceutical field WO2022249022A1 (en)

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EP0613841A1 (en) * 1993-03-05 1994-09-07 Shibuya Kogyo Co., Ltd Apparatus for aligning vessels
WO2007134603A1 (en) * 2006-05-19 2007-11-29 Scanvaegt International A/S A method and a system for batching of objects
EP1992561A2 (en) * 2007-05-18 2008-11-19 MARCHESINI GROUP S.p.A. A method and an apparatus for ordered supply of containers to an automatic machine
EP2899148A1 (en) * 2014-01-24 2015-07-29 Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki Parallel link robot, hand for parallel link robot, and parallel link robot system
EP3002222A1 (en) * 2014-09-30 2016-04-06 Cavanna S.p.A. Method and system for grouping individual products into product groups and for feeding said product groups to handling means, in particular for feeding them to a packaging machine, for example of the "flow pack" type or a caser packer or the like
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WO2019179685A1 (en) * 2018-03-21 2019-09-26 Mulet Valles Tomas Machine and method for positioning objects

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