EP0048104B1 - Appareil de manipulation d'objets - Google Patents
Appareil de manipulation d'objets Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0048104B1 EP0048104B1 EP81303965A EP81303965A EP0048104B1 EP 0048104 B1 EP0048104 B1 EP 0048104B1 EP 81303965 A EP81303965 A EP 81303965A EP 81303965 A EP81303965 A EP 81303965A EP 0048104 B1 EP0048104 B1 EP 0048104B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- product
- handling
- wrapper
- cam
- path
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status 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 status listed.)
- Expired
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Images
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
- B65B11/00—Wrapping, e.g. partially or wholly enclosing, articles or quantities of material, in strips, sheets or blanks, of flexible material
- B65B11/06—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths
- B65B11/08—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths in a single straight path
- B65B11/10—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths in a single straight path to fold the wrappers in tubular form about contents
- B65B11/12—Wrapping articles, or quantities of material, by conveying wrapper and contents in common defined paths in a single straight path to fold the wrappers in tubular form about contents and then to form closing folds of similar form at opposite ends of the tube
Definitions
- This invention relates to apparatus for handling articles as they move without interruption on a conveyor. It is desirable that on any conveyor line system for assembly, processing or wrapping, the products moving along the conveyor are handled without slowing down or stopping the conveyor. This provides the maximum efficiency of operation, and many handling devices have been proposed to operate in this way.
- the invention provides a handling apparatus for articles, wherein a handling arm is movable in a cyclic path that passes through an article handling zone, the arm movement being controlled by a linkage which comprises pivot means pivotally mounting the handling arm on a first rotary member, cam means fast to the handling arm, a cam follower in sliding engagement with the cam means, characterized in that the cam follower is mounted on a second rotary member, drive means are provided for rotating the first and second rotary members to drive the pivot means and the cam follower around mutually eccentric circular paths, and the circular paths and the shape of the cam means are inter-related to maintain the handling arm at a fixed angle of presentation during its arcuate path through the handling zone, then to cause it to rotate about the pivot means in the opposite sense to the rotation of the first rotary member to retard its tip speed, then to move laterally from the path of articles to be handled, and then to rotate about the pivot means in the same sense as the rotation of the first rotary member before it again approaches the article handling zone to repeat the cycle.
- Two examples of uses of the apparatus of the invention are the transfer of articles from one conveyor to another moving at an angle to the first, and the performance of some handling operation of the articles as they pass continuously through the handling zone in a straight line. Both examples are encountered in the high speed wrapping machine which is the subject of our copending European Patent Application No. 81303966.6 (published as Serial No. 48105) and which is used herein to illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention.
- the handling apparatus When the handling apparatus is designed to move articles or groups of articles from a first conveyor standing at any angle to a second conveyor, it advantageously comprises a number of handling arms each of which may consist of an L-shaped arm mounted on a rotating mechanism in the included angle between the first conveyor and the second conveyor. These arms are pivoted on the first rotary member and each is provided with its own cam means which cooperates with a respective cam follower on the second rotary member.
- the first and second rotary members are preferably driven at the same speed.
- the handling arms are able to pick up an article or groups of articles from the first conveyor and change their direction of movement to that of the second conveyor either with or without a change in the orientation of the articles and without disturbance of a grouping of articles which are to be processed (for example wrapped) together, after which the handling arm retracts in a path that carries it sideways and out of the way of the second conveyor, thereafter extending itself behind another product or group. of products on the first conveyor to repeat the cycle without having to start and stop the product group for the direction change.
- a variation of the above handling apparatus can serve as a tucker in a product wrapping machine to make an end fold in which the handling or tucker arm moves out and sideways as it retracts, to avoid pulling out the fold just made.
- the parts are essentially the same as those of the transfer mechanism described above excepting cam shapes.
- Figs. 1 through 11 are a series of perspective views showing the sequence of steps in the wrapping machine of our copending European Patent Application.
- Fig. 12 is a top plan view showing the handling apparatus of the invention as an article transfer device between an infeed conveyor and a wrapping machine conveyor.
- Fig. 13 is a top plan view of handling apparatus of the invention as a tucker mechanism to form an end fold in the wrapper and showing the trajectory of the tip of the tucker arm, particularly the way it tilts to the side as it backs out of the fold using mechanism similar to Fig. 12.
- the wrapping machine illustrated dia- gramatically in Figures 1 to 11 has a number of sections which cooperate to achieve the overall result. Each of the sections will be described very generally and the relevant ones will then be described in greater detail. Unless the context indicates otherwise the word "product" refers either to a single article, such as a roll of paper tissue or towelling, or to a single group of articles to be wrapped in one wrapper.
- the direction changing mechanism brings the product to be wrapped from an infeed conveyor extending from a different direction to conveying means in the wrapping machine which thereafter transport the product continuously in a single direction.
- the direction changing means are unique in their mode of action in that although they change the direction of product movement, they do not change the orientation of the product, and do not significantly change its speed, utilizing a mechanical motion believed to be unique and which may be utilized in other devices, such as my tucker.
- the product After entering the wrapper machine proper through the direction changing mechanism, the product passes beneath a wrapping film supply section (Fig. 1) fed from a roll of wrapping material from which sheets of wrapping film are cut and supplied to lie in a horizontal plane above the product supported by conveying structure that will be described later.
- a wrapping film supply section (Fig. 1) fed from a roll of wrapping material from which sheets of wrapping film are cut and supplied to lie in a horizontal plane above the product supported by conveying structure that will be described later.
- the wrapping film is supplied in a specific relationship to the product such that an amount of film sufficient to wrap the forward side, bottom and part of the back of the product extends ahead of the product as it moves down the conveyor, the remainder extending above and behind the product.
- the wrapper is carried between pairs of belts moving beside the product at the same speed.
- the lower wrapper carrying belts turn on vacuum wheels so the edge of the wrapping film is brought downward ahead of the product by engagement with the vacuum wheels which are rotating on either side of the product with axes that are not quite transverse to the conveyor but are skewed or toed outwardly slightly to create a slight outward pull on the wrapping film as it moves downwardly in contact with the vacuum rolls.
- the vacuum wheels must grip lightly to prevent wrinkles.
- the film As the product moves over the slot area in which the wrapping film was pulled downwardly, the film is pulled taut at the forward edge of the product and is withdrawn from its downward extension into the slot to cover the bottom surface of the product as the product advances so that the film now extends in a horizontally disposed U from behind the product at the top around the top, front, bottom, to behind the product at the bottom (Fig. 2).
- the upper stationary bars of the conveyor are selected from material and finish having slightly less friction than the lower stationary bars of the conveyor, with the result that with the film nipped between the advancing paddles of the conveyor and the back of the product, and greater friction on the lower portion of the film than the upper portion of the film, the film is gradually pulled around the lower side of the product a tiny amount which snugs the articles in the group tightly together and pulls the wrapping film tightly about them.
- a secondary but still major feature is to seal the package so produced on a narrow edge which in the direction of product travel in my machine is a rear surface, particularly where multiple articles are being wrapped.
- the rear surface being one of the narrow surfaces of the package this permits maximum printed display area on the broad surfaces of the package which is not defaced by a seal.
- the objective is achieved regardless of the number of articles in a package, the number typically ranging from one or two 11 inch rolls of toweling through one, two, or four rolls of toilet tissue. Other articles may be wrapped.
- support fingers (Figs. 3-5) approach the product at the side and move up to support that portion of the film that extends sidewardly or transversely from the product.
- the paddle type conveyor that has previously been described as coming down in back of the product from above to nip the film against the product to allow tightening travels upwardly at a slight angle to the product path while a lower chain carrying upwardly extending paddles travels from below at a slight. upward angle to the product path so that as the upward paddle is withdrawn, the lower paddle moves upwardly to take its place, folding the film upwardly around the back of the product at the same time. (Fig. 4).
- Both the lower paddles and the upper paddies are discontinuous so that a mechanism can later come in to make a first attachment of the lower film to the upper film to retain the tight configuration of the wrapping about the product at a later time.
- the wrapper is plastic film as generally described throughout, the mechanism is a tack welding wheel to bond the plastic.
- Other wrapper stock and sealing means are possible.
- FIG. 3-5 Before this time the laterally extending fingers are withdrawn from supporting the upper film, (Figs. 3-5).
- An air-jet (Fig. 6) pushes the upper film downwardly at the ends of the package to make the first end fold.
- a tucker (Figs. 7, 11, and 13) makes an end fold and the package then moves into a conventional end folding section of the machine which folds the remaining side portions of the film to make end folds.
- the tack-welding is then accomplished (Fig. 8) between the paddles of the lower paddle conveyor, which then withdraw downward.
- the product moves between belts that engage the ends of the product (Fig. 9) which serve to convey the product down the product path as a full back seal bar comes in to permanently seal the back seam.
- the package then moves between end sealing belts (Fig. 10) producing a completely sealed product while the package continues its path.
- Fig. 11 may represent the wrapping either of two rolls of towel or four rolls of toilet tissue.
- Figs. 1 through 10 schematically represent the steps in applying the film to the product to form a complete package while Fig. 11 represents a view like that of Fig. 7 where more than one product is involved in the axial direction of product flow.
- the linear path of product flow is the path extending horizontally from one end to the other end of the wrapping machine.
- the product moves without substantial deviation in direction or speed while it is being wrapped.
- the linear product path could be other than horizontal, but as the preferred form is here described the path is level.
- the reason for having a generally linear product path is to allow very high speed wrapping of the product, at a rate much higher than accomplished by previous machines which do not have a linear product path or which started and stopped the product or substantially changed its speed during the course of wrapping. While linear flow and generally uniform movement of the product are important to high speed wrapping, they are by no means sufficient, as is shown in this application. Many innovative details were necessary to solve the problems of high speed wrapping, in addition to the general concept.
- the basic axis of the machine will be taken to be the product path.
- the directions will be referred to as side, lateral or transverse.
- the remaining directions at right angles to the product path will be referred to as up and down.
- right and left side, lateral or transverse directions will be taken to be directions lateral to the first conveyor and (generally) aligned with the axes of the vacuum whee!s, whiIe ⁇ p and down would refer to directions at right angles to those.
- the wrapping machine proper begins with a direction changing mechanism 50 operating to move articles 53 from conveyor 51 which is an infeed conveyor, toward conveyor 52 which is the first element in the conveyors defining a linear product path on which products will be wrapped.
- the direction changing mechanism includes L-shaped arms 54 secured to shafts 55 extending through respective bearings in rotating member 56 which is rotated about a bearing 57.
- a cam plate 58 having a cam slot or track 59 is rigidly secured to the top of each shaft 55.
- a cam follower roller 60 enters each cam track or slot 59 from a second rotating member 61 driven to rotate around a bearing at center 62.
- Belts 63 and 64 which may desirably be timing belts drive rotating members 56 and 61 about their respective centers 57 and 62 at equal rotational speeds.
- L-shaped arms 54 The action of L-shaped arms 54 is to synchronize behind product 53 on infeed conveyor 51 enclosing the back and end of the product.
- the precise shape of the arm might vary with product type and shape and cam shape but should prevent separation of articles making up a product to be wrapped as products are swept in an arc from conveyor 51 to linear product path 92 without change in product orientation.
- rolls with axes along conveyor 51 now have axes directed laterally of product path 92 as they are placed between upper and lower belts.
- Arms 54 retard respecting products 53 and withdraw to the side, then move at high acceleration to come behind a product on infeed conveyor 51 and synchronize with it to repeat the cycle.
- the number of arms and exact cam shape may vary, and of course cams and cam followers could be reversed, with appropriate design changes, here or in the tucker of Fig. 13.
- Fig. 13 the track of the tip of L-shaped arm 71 is shown as a dot and dash line.
- the product path is not shown in Fig. 13 structurally but is between the tucker arms 71.
- Arm 71 stops as it reaches the Fig. 7 or Fig. 11 position as shown by the cusp of the path in Fig. 13. It then turns slightly to form a greater angle with the end of product 53, reducing drag on wrapper 91.
- the tip of arm 71 slows down in relation to the product and retreats backward and to the side to clear the product and to get out of the way.
- Fig. 13 there are only two such arms 71 per side operated to fold wrappers on successive products. Other numbers of arms are possible if properly synchronized to make the second fold.
- the cam track 59 or 76 is shaped to achieve the described path.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
- Relays Between Conveyors (AREA)
- Special Conveying (AREA)
- Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
- Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)
- Extrusion Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
Claims (8)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AT81303965T ATE10355T1 (de) | 1980-09-15 | 1981-08-28 | Geraet zum handhaben von gegenstaenden. |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US18711580A | 1980-09-15 | 1980-09-15 | |
US187115 | 1980-09-15 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0048104A1 EP0048104A1 (fr) | 1982-03-24 |
EP0048104B1 true EP0048104B1 (fr) | 1984-11-21 |
Family
ID=22687660
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP81303965A Expired EP0048104B1 (fr) | 1980-09-15 | 1981-08-28 | Appareil de manipulation d'objets |
EP81303966A Expired EP0048105B1 (fr) | 1980-09-15 | 1981-08-28 | Machine d'enveloppement à cadence élevée |
Family Applications After (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP81303966A Expired EP0048105B1 (fr) | 1980-09-15 | 1981-08-28 | Machine d'enveloppement à cadence élevée |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (2) | EP0048104B1 (fr) |
JP (1) | JPS5786412A (fr) |
AT (2) | ATE10352T1 (fr) |
CA (1) | CA1180992A (fr) |
DE (2) | DE3167324D1 (fr) |
Families Citing this family (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4439812A (en) * | 1981-11-02 | 1984-03-27 | General Electric Company | Impregnated capacitor foil |
US4459251A (en) * | 1982-04-29 | 1984-07-10 | Joint Systems, Inc. | Method and apparatus for controlled application of a coating material to a pipe joint |
US4559781A (en) * | 1983-10-31 | 1985-12-24 | Allied Corporation | Master cylinder |
NL8601428A (nl) * | 1986-06-03 | 1988-01-04 | Thomassen & Drijver | Inrichting voor het verpakken van een rij deksels, en de vervaardigde verpakking. |
GB8802973D0 (en) * | 1988-02-10 | 1988-03-09 | Molins Plc | Wrapping machines |
JP4308298B2 (ja) * | 2004-12-27 | 2009-08-05 | テレフオンアクチーボラゲット エル エム エリクソン(パブル) | 三重偏波スロットアンテナ |
CN112373770B (zh) * | 2020-11-26 | 2022-07-01 | 长沙长泰智能装备有限公司 | 一种新型全自动拉伸膜包装机 |
CN112478268A (zh) * | 2020-12-24 | 2021-03-12 | 浙江希望机械有限公司 | 环形推料导轨及应用该导轨的装盒机推料装置 |
AT17635U1 (de) * | 2021-04-07 | 2022-09-15 | Juergen Fuchs Ing | Zuführvorrichtung für Schlauchbeutelmaschine |
CN114560130B (zh) * | 2022-03-15 | 2023-08-01 | 台山市宏盛自动化机械有限公司 | 一种床垫自动包装机 |
CN114771931B (zh) * | 2022-06-20 | 2022-09-06 | 小洋电源股份有限公司 | 一种用于铅酸蓄电池盒的覆膜装置 |
Family Cites Families (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB770124A (en) * | 1954-06-28 | 1957-03-13 | Package Machinery Co | Wrapping machine |
US2938319A (en) * | 1957-11-04 | 1960-05-31 | Paper Converting Machine Co | Apparatus for handling cylindrical objects |
US3176824A (en) * | 1963-04-19 | 1965-04-06 | Eldred Company | Loader |
US3507089A (en) * | 1967-05-11 | 1970-04-21 | Brown & Williamson Tobacco | Bundling machine |
JPS5641732B2 (fr) * | 1972-06-23 | 1981-09-30 | ||
CH568906A5 (fr) * | 1973-07-18 | 1975-11-14 | Sig Schweiz Industrieges | |
DE2461530C3 (de) * | 1974-12-27 | 1981-08-27 | Salzgitter Maschinen Und Anlagen Ag, 3320 Salzgitter | Fördervorrichtung zur Förderung von Langgut, insbesondere Schienen |
JPS5237263A (en) * | 1975-09-18 | 1977-03-23 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd | Disposer |
GB1589778A (en) * | 1976-10-29 | 1981-05-20 | Starpak Pty Ltd | Wrapping apparatus and a method of wrapping |
-
1981
- 1981-06-30 CA CA000380871A patent/CA1180992A/fr not_active Expired
- 1981-08-28 EP EP81303965A patent/EP0048104B1/fr not_active Expired
- 1981-08-28 DE DE8181303965T patent/DE3167324D1/de not_active Expired
- 1981-08-28 EP EP81303966A patent/EP0048105B1/fr not_active Expired
- 1981-08-28 AT AT81303966T patent/ATE10352T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1981-08-28 DE DE8181303966T patent/DE3167325D1/de not_active Expired
- 1981-08-28 AT AT81303965T patent/ATE10355T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1981-09-14 JP JP56145395A patent/JPS5786412A/ja active Granted
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
ATE10352T1 (de) | 1984-12-15 |
ATE10355T1 (de) | 1984-12-15 |
DE3167324D1 (en) | 1985-01-03 |
EP0048104A1 (fr) | 1982-03-24 |
DE3167325D1 (en) | 1985-01-03 |
CA1180992A (fr) | 1985-01-15 |
EP0048105B1 (fr) | 1984-11-21 |
EP0048105A1 (fr) | 1982-03-24 |
JPS5786412A (en) | 1982-05-29 |
JPH0419086B2 (fr) | 1992-03-30 |
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