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
  • B65B23/00—Packaging fragile or shock-sensitive articles other than bottles; Unpacking eggs
  • B65B23/20—Packaging plate glass, tiles, or shingles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B35/00—Supplying, feeding, arranging or orientating articles to be packaged
  • B65B35/30—Arranging and feeding articles in groups
  • B65B35/50—Stacking one article, or group of articles, upon another before packaging
• • 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
  • B65G47/90—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
  • B65G47/907—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials with at least two picking-up heads
• • 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
  • B65G47/90—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
  • B65G47/91—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers
  • B65G47/918—Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers with at least two picking-up heads

Definitions

• the invention relates to an apparatus for sorting objects. Specifically, though not exclusively, the invention is usefully applied in packing lines where objects coming from a continuous conveyor line, along which they are essentially transferred in a line and generally distanced from one another, have to be sorted, i.e. separated from one another on the basis of their individual characteristics, which have been determined before the sorting process.
• Background Art Sorting has the simple function of separating objects coming from the line on the basis of the characteristics of each object, such as then to be able to collect the objects in terms of homogeneity of characteristics, such as to form, for example in the case of tiles or slabs (ceramic or made of other materials) homogeneous packs composed of a predetermined number of objects. These packs of homogeneous objects are thus ready for the following stage of packing.
• the prior art comprises apparatus which perform a similar in-line function, in particular for objects constituted by tiles or slabs.
• one of these apparatus is disclosed in publication WO2008/038081 in the name of the present Applicant, in which the apparatus can be identified as a portion of a more complex packing line.
• the collecting of the tiles with which the piles are to be formed in pallets is done by means of picking up the tiles themselves with two groups of pliers from a loading station, in which the tiles are halted and positioned against a stop.
• the pliers are alternatively positioned at the station, grip the tiles and transfer them, placing them to form contiguous stacks on a support structure.
• the pliers then transfer the readied stacks to a packing station.
• the main drawbacks and disadvantages of the illustrated apparatus can be ascribed to a certain unwieldiness, to the relevant masses and weights involved and to a certain heaviness of the structural apparatus used to support and move the pliers, which must be suitable for moving stacks of tiles or slabs. To this can be added the fact that the apparatus is constitutionally unable to support the normal work rhythm required for sorting and packing lines.
• figure 1 is a schematic plan view from above; figure 2 is a schematic lateral view; figure 3 is an enlarged-scale view of a part of the view of figure 2, partially sectioned with some parts removed better to evidence others; figure 4 is an enlarged-scale view of a further part of the view of figure 2, partially sectioned with some parts removed better to evidence others; figure 5 is a further-enlarged scale view of a detail of the section along line V-V of figure 2.
• the figures relate to an apparatus for sorting objects, which essentially has the function of separating objects coming from a continuous conveyor line 1, along which the objects are essentially transferred in a line and appropriately distanced from one another, on the basis of their different characteristics, such as then to enable their being collected in groups characterised by homogeneous features.
• the objects are slabs or tiles 10 (ceramic or made of other materials) which once sorted can be grouped together to form homogeneous packs.
• the apparatus comprises gripping means 5 which grip the objects, which in the illustrated example are slabs or tiles 10, conveyed, for example, singly by a conveyor line 1 located upstream, and which transfer the objects 10 to predetermined temporary storage points on the trajectory on a support structure 2 provided for the purpose.
• gripping means 5 which grip the objects, which in the illustrated example are slabs or tiles 10, conveyed, for example, singly by a conveyor line 1 located upstream, and which transfer the objects 10 to predetermined temporary storage points on the trajectory on a support structure 2 provided for the purpose.
• Control and managing means are not described in detail herein, as they belong to the prior art; these means have the task of predefining time-by- time the predetermined temporary storage points in the trajectory and of enabling the points to be identified in order that the objects 10 can be subsequently removed.
• the apparatus further comprises transfer means for collecting, on command, the objects, slabs or tiles 10 from the support structure 2 in order to transfer them to a downstream station, which can be, for example, a coupling-decoupling station 3 where the objects, slabs or tiles 10 are deposited and coupled or decoupled to form stacks which will then be used for subsequent operations such as, for example, packing.
• a downstream station which can be, for example, a coupling-decoupling station 3 where the objects, slabs or tiles 10 are deposited and coupled or decoupled to form stacks which will then be used for subsequent operations such as, for example, packing.
• the gripping means 5 transfer the objects, slabs or tiles 10 along a trajectory which develops parallel to the support structure 2.
• the gripping means 5 are commanded to move along parallel horizontal guides 40 and
• Each gripping means 5 comprises a main carriage 50, slidably coupled in a longitudinal direction to the horizontal guides 40 and 41, to which carriage 50 a secondary carriage 51 is constrained, with freedom in relative commanded motion in a perpendicular direction to the sliding direction of the main carriage 50, which secondary carriage 51 inferiorly bears the gripping organs for gripping the objects, slabs or tiles 10.
• the gripping organs borne inferiorly by each secondary carriage 51 are, in the illustrated embodiment, constituted by sucker gripping organs 52 which are distributed such as to identify a gripping plane positioned to be arranged above the conveyor line 1.
• Two of the gripping organs 5 are substantially identical and positioned symmetrically to one another.
• the main carriages 50 are coupled on guide pairs 40 and 41 fixed to a single beam 4 symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the beam and to the vertical median plane containing the axis.
• the beam 4 has a straight transversal section, symmetrical with respect to the vertical median plane.
• each gripping means is activated by a mechanical chain transmission 53 which is housed internally of a longitudinal cavity afforded by the beam 4, and receives drive from drive cogwheels 57 activated by a motor 59.
• the vertical motion in two directions of the secondary carriage 51 with respect to the main carriage 50 is realised by means of a coupling of a drive cogwheel 55 with a vertical cogged belt 54 fixed at a top end thereof, the drive cogwheel 55 being commanded by a motor (not illustrated in the figures) and being maintained enmeshed to the cogging of the cogged belt 54 by a contrast wheel 56.
• At least an expelling cylinder 58 is associated to the frame portion of the secondary carriage 51 which inferiorly bears the sucker gripping organs 52, which expelling cylinder 58 is commanded to facilitate detachment of the objects, slabs or tiles 10 during the release stage of the sucker gripping organs 52.
• the support structure 2 is located inferiorly at a predetermined distance from the beam 4 and the overlying horizontal guides 40 and 41 as well as from the gripping organs 5.
• the support structure 2 comprises at least two parallel bars 20 located at a predetermined reciprocal distance and identifying, with the upper surfaces thereof, a horizontal rest plane destined to restingly receive the objects, slabs or tiles 10 deposited thereon by the gripping means 5 which operate, in a known way, by means of the sucker gripping organs 52.
• the providing of two gripping means has the aim of enabling an adequate working speed for the apparatus.
• the interference of the two lower parts of the secondary carriages 51 bearing the sucker gripping organs 52 is prevented in normal functioning by suitably commanding the movement and positioning thereof in the respective work cycles.
• the transfer means essentially comprise two platforms 6 located by a side of the bars 20.
• the platforms 6 are of such a size as to interact and enter into resting contact with a part of the lower surface of objects, slabs or tiles 10 rested on the parallel bars themselves at predetermined or known points.
• the platforms 6 are on command mobile synchronously from at least an inactive position beneath the rest plane for the objects, slabs or tiles 10, identified by the upper surface of the bars 20 and at least a position superior of the plane at which the objects, slabs or tiles 10, which may be at present resting on the bars 20 no longer rest thereon, but only on the platforms 6 and are therefore movable by the platforms 6 for transfer to the downstream coupling-decoupling station 3.
• the movement in the two vertical directions of the platforms 6, which are supported on mobile carriages 16 slidably vertically, is performed by vertical-axis actuators 26.
• slabs or tiles 10 which may be single but are normally arranged to form homogeneous stacks (having same characteristics)
• the platforms 6 are commandably mobile in translation, synchronously and in the two directions (from the support structure 2 to the coupling-decoupling station 3 and vice versa) as they are supported by the carriages 16 which slide along guides 7 which are parallel to and lower than the parallel bars 20.
• each secondary carriage 51 can be constituted by plier gripping organs which are positioned above the conveyor line 1 in order to be able to laterally grip the objects, slabs or tiles 10.
• the apparatus sorts the objects, slabs or tiles 10 supplied by the conveyor line 1 along which the objects 10 are transferred in a line, continuously and variously distanced from one another (they can also be very close to one another, the sole limit being constituted by a distance which is sufficient not to enable reciprocal damage by contact).
• the objects 10 have to be sorted, i.e. separated from one another on the basis of the characteristics of each object 10, which characteristics have been determined before sorting.
• the collection is performed without interruption of infeeding motion into the line 1 by the sucker gripping organs 52 associated to the secondary carriage of one of the two gripping means 5, which gripping means 5 is commanded to move such as to match, at least for the time necessary for performing the collection, the component of velocity thereof parallel to the conveyor line 1 to the conveyor velocity of the line itself.
• the gripping means 5 proceeds in the run thereof up until the moment of depositing the object, slab or tile 10 at a predetermined point of the support structure 2.
• the deposit is performed very simply with the release of the object, slab or tile 10 by the sucker gripping organs 52 with the help of the cylinder 58 if necessary.
• the predetermined deposit point is simply a point the position of which is memorised as associated to an object, slab or tile 10 which has been previously selected as having one or more characteristics identifying it.
• the gripping means 5, now unloaded can return for a new collecting cycle.
• the two gripping means 5 operate independently of one another, but are synchronised such as to prevent any possibility of reciprocal interference.
• the above-described operation is identically cyclically repeated with the depositing at the same point of other objects, slabs or tiles 10 which exhibit the same characteristics on the basis of the selection previously performed. This means that at a same predetermined point a stack of objects, slabs or tiles 10 is built up, up to reaching a predetermined number of objects, slabs or tiles 10.
• the stack of objects, slabs or tiles 10 is then collected by the platforms 6 operating entirely independently of the gripping means 5, and transferred from the predetermined point occupied on the support structure 2 to the coupling and decoupling station 3 (where the objects, slabs or tiles 10 can be further united or separated in order to form packs having the desired composition).
• the structure and the operating configuration of the invention enable high functioning elasticity as well as a high level of velocity, all of which enable the invention to be combined in-line without affecting the speed of selection lines of ceramic products.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
• Transition And Organic Metals Composition Catalysts For Addition Polymerization (AREA)
• Pharmaceuticals Containing Other Organic And Inorganic Compounds (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=40886888

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

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Family Cites Families (5)

• 2008
  • 2008-09-29 IT ITMO2008A000255A patent/IT1391132B1/it active
• 2009
  • 2009-05-27 EP EP09815751A patent/EP2328812A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2009-05-27 BR BRPI0918951A patent/BRPI0918951A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2009-05-27 CN CN2009801378062A patent/CN102164823A/zh active Pending
  • 2009-05-27 WO PCT/IB2009/052211 patent/WO2010035153A1/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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