WO2024142126A1 - Method and apparatus for manipulating articles in a corresponding packaging plant - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for manipulating articles (11) inside a corresponding packaging plant, comprising feeding such articles (11) from a first feed line (12) to a second line (14) for transporting containers (15), which are configured to receive one or more of such articles (11) from the first line (12), verifying the integrity and presence of the articles (11) along the first line (12) by means of a control device (13), positioning the articles (11) in a temporary deposit member (16) and selectively transferring one or more of such articles (11) from the temporary deposit member (16) into one or more of the containers (15), following the detection by the control device (13) of the lack of one or more articles (11) and/or the presence of one or more defective articles (11).

Description

“METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING ARTICLES IN A CORRESPONDING PACKAGING PLANT”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns an apparatus and a method for manipulating articles, for example of a flexible type such as sachets, blister packs, pouches or bags, in a corresponding packaging plant or line able to arrange a certain number of articles inside box shaped containers. Such articles can be used to contain food products, for example condiments such as oil, vinegar, sauces or suchlike, or pharmaceutical, cosmetic or personal care products, such as drugs, creams, lotions for example.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that there are plants for packaging articles that comprise a first feed line, provided for example with a conveyor belt along which the articles travel in a certain direction, and a second line for transporting containers, for example boxes, in which a certain number of articles is inserted.

This second transport line can for example be parallel to the first line and can be equipped with a conveyor belt or suchlike, which moves parallel and in the same direction as the conveyor belt of the first line. The number of articles inside each box can be variable depending on requirements and - once set- it is possible to provide a suitably synchronized movement between the two lines so that a desired number of articles is positioned inside a container.

The passage of the articles from the first line to the containers present on the second line occurs automatically, by means of devices that transfer the articles into the box, for example in a direction transverse to the directions of the lines.

On the first feed line, the articles to be introduced inside the corresponding containers are arranged in sequence, for example in a row in the direction of advance, and it is possible that there are one or more missing articles and/or defective articles in said sequence. For example, if the articles are welded sachets, these sachets may be filled with an incorrect amount of product, or have defects on the welds, or surface defects, or other.

Automated systems for reintegrating the missing or defective articles can be provided in production and box filling lines, which however often prove to be complex, expensive and often result in an excessive increase in the overall dimensions of the box filling plant.

In some solutions known in the art, it is provided that the containers in which one or more articles are missing wait in a stationary condition until they receive the missing articles. These solutions provide complex systems of coordinated movement between articles and containers, and have low productivity, understood as the number of articles packaged in the unit of time, due to the slowdowns caused by having to wait for the missing articles. Other solutions known in the art provide to temporarily reject the articles intended to be received in a same container, in the event that the latter is not completely filled, and then subsequently re-introduce such articles onto the first feed line. It is clear that these solutions are also inefficient and have low productivity. There is therefore the need to perfect a method and an apparatus for manipulating articles, for example of the flexible type such as sachets, blister packs, pouches, bags or suchlike, inside a corresponding packaging plant, which can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.

One purpose of the present invention is to develop an effective and simple method for reintegrating articles, for example of a flexible type such as sachets, blister packs, pouches or bags, inside a corresponding packaging plant.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manipulating articles, for example of a flexible type such as sachets, blister packs, pouches or bags, inside a corresponding packaging plant, which allows them to be checked and possibly reintegrated in a simple and effective manner.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a manipulation apparatus that works effectively, regardless of the configuration of the plant for packaging articles in which it is used.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a manipulation apparatus that is automatic and does not cause a significant increase in the complexity and sizes of the packaging plant.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims.

The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, a method according to the invention for manipulating articles inside a corresponding packaging plant, comprises feeding the articles from a first feed line to a second line for transporting containers, which are configured to receive one or more of the articles from the first feed line, verifying the integrity and presence of the articles along the first feed line by means of a control device, positioning the articles in a temporary deposit member and transferring one or more of the articles from the temporary deposit member into one or more of the containers, following the detection by the control device of the lack of one or more articles and/or the presence of one or more defective articles. According to another aspect of the invention, the method provides a temporary step of feeding articles directly from the first line to the temporary deposit member.

The invention also concerns an apparatus for manipulating articles inside a corresponding packaging plant comprising at least one first feed line, at least one control device configured to verify the integrity and the presence of the articles thus fed, and at least one second line for transporting containers which are configured to receive one or more of the articles from the first feed line.

According to one aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises a temporary deposit member configured to receive the articles and at least one reintegration manipulator device configured to transfer one or more of the articles from the temporary deposit member into one or more of the containers, following the detection by the control device of the lack of one or more articles and/or the presence of one or more defective articles along the first feed line.

Thanks to the temporary deposit member, or buffer, and to the reintegration manipulator device, the present apparatus is able to carry out operations of reintegration of the missing articles in the containers in a simple and effective manner. Advantageously, the present apparatus operates efficiently, guaranteeing good hourly productivity, regardless of the configuration of the article packaging plant in which it is used, and it does not cause a significant increase in its complexity and/or size.

The method and apparatus for manipulating articles according to the present invention advantageously allow to prevent the packages from having to wait, after having been filled with a certain number of articles, for a certain amount of time for any articles that are missing, relative to the number of articles expected, to be reintegrated, in the event that the number of articles placed in the package is not the one expected. Unlike the solutions known in the art, in which the possible reintegration of the missing articles involves complex and long operations, the method and apparatus of the present invention guarantee greater productivity. Moreover, the method and the apparatus of the present invention are highly reliable, since the possibility that - after the reintegration of the missing articles - the packages may contain a different number of articles than the one expected is completely eliminated.

According to another aspect of the invention, by means of the manipulator device, the articles are picked up from the first feed line and transferred to the temporary deposit member.

Alternatively, and according to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises a further manipulator device for transferring the articles from the first feed line to the temporary deposit member. Alternatively, and according to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises a first manipulator device for transferring the articles from the first line to the second line and, downstream, the manipulator device for transferring the articles from the first line to the temporary deposit member and for reintegrating from the temporary deposit member to the second line. According to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises a reject area where the defective articles identified by the control device are sent, by means of a reject manipulator.

According to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises a control unit associated at least with the control device and with the manipulator device. According to another aspect of the invention, the control unit is also associated with the reject manipulator.

According to another aspect of the invention, the control unit is also associated with the further manipulator device for transferring the articles, which is configured to pick up the articles from the first line.

According to another aspect of the invention, the second transport line is positioned and aligned downstream of the first feed line and the temporary deposit member is located substantially in parallel with the first and second line. According to another aspect of the invention, the second line is located at a lower height than the first line to allow the fall by gravity of the articles from the first line to the second line.

According to another aspect of the invention, the temporary deposit member is positioned between the first feed line and the second transport line, which are arranged substantially parallel to each other and in parallel with the temporary deposit member.

According to another aspect of the invention, the temporary deposit member is positioned and aligned downstream of the first feed line, which is arranged substantially in parallel with the second transport line. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus for manipulating articles in a corresponding packaging line according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a schematic view of a variant of the present apparatus;

- fig. 3 is a schematic view of a further variant of the present apparatus.

We must clarify that the phraseology and terminology used in the present description, as well as the figures in the attached drawings also in relation as to how described, have the sole function of better illustrating and explaining the present invention, their purpose being to provide a non-limiting example of the invention itself, since the scope of protection is defined by the claims.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications. DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION We will now refer in detail to the possible embodiments of the invention, of which one or more examples are shown in the attached drawings, by way of a nonlimiting illustration. The phraseology and terminology used here is also for the purposes of providing non-limiting examples. With reference to figs. 1-3 of the attached drawings, an apparatus 10, 10a, 10b for manipulating articles 11 inside a corresponding packaging plant comprises at least one first line 12 for feeding the articles 11, at least one control device 13 configured to verify the integrity and/or the presence and/or the conformity of the articles 11 along the first line 12, and at least one second line 14 for transporting containers 15 which are configured to receive one or more of the articles 11 from the first line 12.

According to one embodiment, the apparatus 10 operates with an alternating cadence, wherein both the first line 12 and also the second line 14 move with a stepwise motion. According to another embodiment, it can be provided that the first line 12 moves with a continuous movement while the second line 14 is moved with a stepwise advance. In this case, the person of skill in the art will be able to make the necessary adaptations, which for example provide that the members that have to interact with the articles 11 placed on the first line 12 move according to a movement that is correlated to the continuous movement of that line, so as to be able to “follow”, for at least a certain segment, the articles with which these members have to interact.

In one variant, the apparatus 10 has a continuous operation, whereby the person of skill will equip the apparatus with the appropriate adaptations required in a machine having a continuous operation.

The apparatus 10 comprises a temporary deposit member 16, or buffer, of the articles 11 and at least one reintegration manipulator device 19, 21 configured to transfer one or more of the articles 11 from the temporary deposit member 16 into one or more of the containers 15, following the detection by the control device 13 of the lack of one or more articles 11 and/or the presence of one or more defective articles 11 along the first line 12, and therefore of the incomplete filling of one or more of the containers 15.

By means of the reintegration manipulator device 21 , see fig. 2, the articles 11 are also picked up from the first line 12 and transferred to the temporary deposit member 16.

Alternatively, the apparatus 10, see fig. 1, comprises a further manipulator device 18 for transferring the articles 11 from the first line 12 to the temporary deposit member 16.

The temporary deposit member 16 can be for example a conveyor belt, a toothed belt or suchlike, provided with suitable housings where one or more articles 11 are contained.

A member 24 for actuating the temporary deposit member 16 is provided, for example configured as a brushless or stepper type motor, which determines the advance of the belt.

The second line 14, see fig. 1, is positioned and aligned downstream of the first line 12, and the temporary deposit member 16 is located substantially in parallel with the lines 12, 14. The second line 14 can be located at a lower height than the first line 12, therefore the articles 11 travelling on the first line in direction A fall by gravity inside the containers 15. A certain number of articles 11 will be introduced into each container 15.

It is also possible to provide that the second line 14 is L-shaped, as shown with the addition of the dashed segment, or U-shaped, so as to not interfere with the outlet of the first line 12. This “L” or “U” shape of the second line can be provided, for example, in the event that the lines 12 and 14 are located at the same height. In this case, an articulated manipulator will be provided, configured to pick up the articles 11 from the first line 12, lift them in a known manner, for example by means of gripping members equipped with suckers, and deposit them in the corresponding containers 15.

The first line 12 can be a conveyor belt or suchlike, movable in the direction A. The second line 14 can be a conveyor belt or suchlike, provided with at least one segment movable in the direction A, aligned with the first line 12.

The first line 12 and the second line 14 are driven in motion by a first and a second drive unit 25, 26, respectively, for example configured as brushless or stepper type motors connected to a respective drive pulley (not shown) on which the corresponding conveyor belts are closed in a loop.

The control device 13 can be provided with systems suitable to verify the integrity of the articles 11, for example to verify their weight and/or external appearance, such as cameras, including infrared, or suchlike. If the articles 11 are sachets or suchlike, the control device 13 can be configured to verify, by weighing, whether the correct amount of product has been introduced into the sachet. To this end, in the example given here, one or more load cells arranged in a weighing station can be provided, which can be integrated in the first line 12, or in the proximity thereof.

A reject manipulator 17, such as an anthropomorphic robot or suchlike, is associated with the control device 13, which - automatically and following the detections of the control device 13 - picks up the defective articles, for example the article 1 la, and deposits them in a reject area 23. The reject manipulator 17 can for example be equipped with an articulated arm provided with means for gripping the articles 11, or with a pusher device that pushes the selected article 1 la from the first line 12 to the reject area 23, or other. As mentioned, the apparatus 10 comprises the transfer manipulator device 18 which is configured to pick up the articles 11 from the first line 12 and transfer them into the temporary deposit member 16. The transfer manipulator device 18 can be an anthropomorphic robot or suchlike, or other suitable system, provided with means that pick up the articles 11 from the first line 12 and transfer them in the direction B to the temporary deposit member 16. The direction B is substantially transverse to the direction A of transfer of the articles 11 along the first line 12. In the normal operation of the apparatus 10, the articles 11 from the first line 12 are transferred to the containers 15 of the second line 14. However, it is possible to provide an operating step of the apparatus 10 in which the articles 11 are not transferred to the containers 15 of the second line 14, but are transferred to the temporary deposit member 16 by the transfer manipulator device 18; one or more articles 11 will be able to be selectively picked up from the temporary deposit member 16 by means of the reintegration manipulator device 19, in order to complete the containers 15 with the missing articles 11. The containers 15 can be for example boxes, pouches or similar secondary packaging, in which a certain number of articles 11 is housed, side by side, arranged one on top of the other or in any other suitable manner whatsoever.

The reintegration manipulator device 19 is configured to pick up a certain number of articles 11 from the temporary deposit member 16 and transfer them into the containers 15 in which they are missing. The reintegration manipulator device 19 can be an anthropomorphic robot or suchlike, or other suitable system, provided with means that pick up and transfer the articles 11.

The apparatus 10 comprises a control unit 20 associated at least with the control device 13 and at least with the reintegration manipulator device 19, configured to pick up the articles 11 from the temporary deposit member 16 and transfer them to the containers 15. The control unit 20 is also associated with the transfer manipulator device 18 which is configured to pick up the articles 11 from the first line 12 and transfer them into the temporary deposit member 16. The control unit 20 is also associated with the actuator member 24 and with the first and second drive units 25, 26 to command their operation (fig. 1).

The control unit 20 is programmable and configured to control the operation of the apparatus 10 and implement the control method according to the present invention.

By way of example, in the apparatus 10 we have assumed that the control device 13 detects that the defective article I la is present along the first line 12 and, furthermore, that there is an empty space S 1 in the sequence of articles 11 , which can be for example a housing where, in error, no article 11 has been inserted. The defective article I la will be transferred to the reject area 23 by means of the reject manipulator 17, generating another empty space S2 on the first line 12.

Inside a certain container 15 of the second line 14, therefore, according to this example, two articles 11 will be missing, or a first article 11 will be missing in a first container 15 and a second article 11 will be missing in a second container 15.

In any case, the control unit 20 will communicate to the reintegration manipulator device 19 to pick up two articles 11b and 11c, in order to make up for the shortage inside the container 15, or the containers 15. In the event that the two articles 11 are missing from the same container 15, in fig. 1 this is schematized below article 11b, while the dashed line indicates the adjacent container in which only one of the articles will be inserted, for example article 11b, after such container has been made to advance by one step in direction A.

We must clarify that the reintegration manipulator device 19 can be configured to pick up the articles 11 from the temporary deposit member 16 from the dashed zone on the right in fig. 1, following a pick-up logic whereby the article that is picked up is always the available one closest to the terminal end of the temporary deposit member 16, that is, the right end looking at fig. 1.

In one possible embodiment, the reintegration manipulator device 19 picks up one article at a time from the same pick-up point, thanks to the fact that between one pick-up and the other the temporary deposit member 16 is made to advance by one step.

In the example given here, in which the articles 11c and 11b are shown schematically side-by-side, the reintegration manipulator device 19 can pick up these articles simultaneously or one after the other. In the latter case, according to the logic described above, the reintegration manipulator device 19 first picks up article 1 lc, and subsequently article 1 lb.

The example described above can also be used to understand the operation of the apparatuses 10a and 10b according to the variants of figs. 2 and 3. In the apparatus 10a of fig. 2, the first line 12 and the second line 14 are parallel to each other and are not aligned as in the apparatus 10 of fig. 1. The lines 12 and 14 translate the articles 11 and the containers 15, respectively, in direction A.

The temporary deposit member 16 is in this case positioned between the lines 12 and 14, and a single manipulator device 21 is provided, which acts both as a transfer manipulator and also as a reintegration manipulator. In fact, the single manipulator device 21 picks up the articles 11 from the first line 12 and transfers them to the second line 14, for example by means of an articulated arm or suchlike, which picks up the articles 11 from the first line 12 and passes over the temporary deposit member 16. The manipulator device 21 also provides to complete the containers 15, picking up the missing articles 11b and 11c from the temporary deposit member 16. Furthermore, the manipulator device 21 is also configured to transfer the articles 11 from the first line 12 to the temporary deposit member 16, if necessary.

In the apparatus 10b of fig. 3, the temporary deposit member 16 is arranged between the first line 12 and the second line 14 and parallel to the first and second line 12, 14. The first line 12 is parallel to the second line 14. The lines 12 and 14 translate the articles 11 and the containers 15 in parallel directions A.

The articles 11 present on the first line 12 are transferred to the containers 15 of the second line 14 by means of a transfer manipulator device 22, which can be an anthropomorphic robot or suchlike, for example equipped with an articulated arm or other. The transfer manipulator device 22 could also be a comb system or suchlike, equipped with pusher means that transfer the articles 11 in a direction B substantially orthogonal to the direction A. The feed of the articles 11 from the first line 12 to the temporary deposit member 16, as well as the reintegration of the articles 11 from the latter to the containers 15 arranged on the second line 14 in which one or more articles 11 are missing, are carried out by the reintegration manipulator device 19. When the number of articles 11 present on the temporary deposit member 16 falls below a pre-established number, the control unit 20 communicates to the transfer manipulator device 22 to not pick up a certain consecutive number of articles 11 from the first line 12, in particular seven articles in the specific example shown. The latter transit on the first line 12, going past the transfer manipulator device 22 until they reach the proximity of the reintegration manipulator device 19, which picks them up in order to supply these articles 11 to the temporary deposit member 16, from which they can then be picked up, when necessary, in order to reintegrate the articles missing in the containers 15.

In one variant, not shown and combinable with all the embodiments described above, the first line 12 that translates the articles 11 in direction A could also be replaced by a line with several tracks directed in direction B, from which the articles 11 are transferred to the containers 15 of the second line 14 by means of the transfer manipulator device 22.

The apparatus 10b is equipped with the reintegration manipulator device 19 located downstream of the transfer manipulator device 22 and configured to pick up a certain number of articles 11 from the temporary deposit member 16 and transfer them into the containers 15 in which they are missing. The reintegration manipulator device 19 can be an anthropomorphic robot or suchlike, or other suitable system, provided with means that pick up and transfer the articles 11.

It is possible to provide that the transfer manipulator device 22 simultaneously transfers a certain number of articles 11 into a container 15, that is, the number of articles 11 provided in a certain container 15, or that it transfers one article 11 at a time into the container 15, until the intended number is reached.

A method for manipulating articles inside a corresponding packaging plant comprises feeding the articles from the first feed line 12 to the second line 14 for transporting the containers 15, which are configured to receive one or more of the articles 11 from the first line 12, verifying the integrity and presence of the articles 11 along the first line 12 by means of the control device 13, positioning the articles 11 in the temporary deposit member 16 and transferring one or more of the articles

11 from the temporary deposit member 16 into one or more of the containers 15, following the detection by the control device 13 of the lack of one or more articles 11 and/or the presence of one or more defective articles 11 along the first line 12, and therefore of the incomplete filling of one or more of the containers 15. The method provides a temporary step of feeding articles 11 directly to the temporary deposit member 16, so that an appropriate quantity of articles 11 is always present therein, for example greater than a predetermined minimum threshold.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or steps may be made to the manipulation apparatus and method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art will be able to achieve other equivalent forms of apparatus and method for manipulating articles, for example of the flexible type such as sachets, blister packs, pouches, bags, inside a corresponding packaging plant or line, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby. In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate their reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. Method for manipulating articles (11) inside a corresponding packaging plant, comprising feeding said articles (11) from a first feed line (12) to a second line (14) for transporting containers (15), which are configured to receive one or more of said articles (11) from said first line (12), verifying the integrity and presence of said articles (11) along said first line (12) by means of a control device (13), positioning said articles (11) in a temporary deposit member (16) and selectively transferring one or more of said articles (11) from said temporary deposit member (16) into one or more of said containers (15), following the detection by said control device (13) of the lack of one or more articles (11) and/or the presence of one or more defective articles (11).

2. Method as in claim 1, characterized in that it provides a temporary step of feeding articles (11) directly from said first line (12) to said temporary deposit member (16). 3. Apparatus (10, 10a, 10b) for manipulating articles (11) inside a corresponding packaging plant comprising at least one first feed line (12), at least one control device (13) configured to verify the integrity and the presence of said articles (11) thus fed and at least one second line (14) for transporting containers (15) which are configured to receive one or more of said articles (11) from said first line (12), characterized in that it comprises a temporary deposit member (16) configured to receive said articles (11) and at least one reintegration manipulator device (19, 21) configured to transfer one or more of said articles (11) from said temporary deposit member (16) into one or more of said containers (15), following the detection by said control device (13) of the lack of one or more articles (11) and/or the presence of one or more defective articles (11) on said first feed line (12).

4. Apparatus (10a, 10b) as in claim 3, characterized in that, by means of said manipulator device (19, 21), said articles (11) are picked up from said first line (12) and transferred to said temporary deposit member (16).

5. Apparatus (10a, 10b) as in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said temporary deposit member (16) is positioned between said first line (12) and said second line

(14), which are arranged substantially parallel to each other and in parallel with said temporary deposit member (16).

6. Apparatus (10b) as in claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a first manipulator device (22) for transferring said articles (11) from said first line (12) to said second line (14) and, downstream, said manipulator device (19) for transferring said articles (11) from said first line (12) to said temporary deposit member (16) and for reintegrating from said temporary deposit member (16) to said second line (14).

7. Apparatus (10, 10b) as in claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a further manipulator device (18) for transferring said articles (11) from said first line (12) to said temporary deposit member (16).

8. Apparatus (10) as in claim 3 or 7, characterized in that said second line (14) is positioned and aligned downstream of said first line (12) and said temporary deposit member (16) is located substantially in parallel with said lines (12, 14).

9. Apparatus (10) as in either of claims 3 or 7-8, characterized in that said second line (14) is located at a lower height than said first line (12) to allow the fall by gravity of said articles (11) from said first line (12) to said second line (14). 10. Apparatus (10, 10a, 10b) as in any of the claims from 3 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a reject area (23) where the defective articles (11) identified by said control device (13) are sent, by means of a reject manipulator (17).

11. Apparatus (10, 10a, 10b) as in any of the claims from 3 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a control unit (20) associated at least with said control device (13) and with said manipulator device (19, 21).

12. Apparatus (10, 10a, 10b) as in claim 11, when dependent on 10, characterized in that said control unit (20) is also associated with said reject manipulator (17).

13. Apparatus (10, 10b) as in claim 11, characterized in that said control unit (20) is also associated with said further manipulator device (18, 22) for transferring said articles (11), which is configured to pick up said articles (11) from said first line (12).