NL1042528B1 - Palletiser station - Google Patents

Abstract

Palletiser station (1) for stacking boxes (B) onto pallets (P), comprising: a table (200) for receiving a pallet (P) to be loaded; a palletiser (100) with a gripping head (110) for gripping a box (B) from a box conveyor (10) and transferring the box from the box conveyor to a position above the rotation table (200). The table 200 is a rotation table (200) capable of rotating about a vertical axis; and the gripping head (110) is a rotatable gripping head (110) capable of rotating the boxes (B) about a vertical axis.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to palletiser stations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the field of transportation and storage of goods, a pallet is a support platform onto which a load of goods is packed. Pallets have standard sizes, and in an example a pallet may have a size of 80 cm x 120 cm or 100 cm x 120 cm. After stacking, the pallet load may be wrapped in plastic foil to obtain a robust unit. In any 10 case, with or without wrapping, the pallet plus its load is treated as a unit, in transportation (in lorries) and in storage.

Although a pallet may carry any type of product, a very practical example of a product (i.e. load of the pallet) used in practice is a rectangular (cardboard) box. Such boxes come in many standard sizes. As far as the efficient use of volume is 15 concerned, it is preferred that stacking is done such as to obtain a close packing, but this is not essential for the present invention. For instance, 10 boxes of 40x30 fit a pallet of 100x120.

While stacking of boxes on a pallet may obviously be done manually, the present invention relates to a palletiser station where the stacking is done by a robot, 20 indicated as the palletiser. Apart from the palletiser for performing the stacking, the palletiser station requires a pallet supply conveyor for supplying empty pallets, a pallet removal conveyor for removing (outputting) loaded pallets, and at least one box conveyor for supplying boxes to be stacked. For gripping the boxes from the box conveyor(s) and placing the boxes on the pallet stack, the palletiser is equipped with 25 a suitable gripping tool, for instance a clamp or a vacuum suction device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In prior art, various possibilities are known, either as a matter of principle or as a matter of practice, for the layout of the palletiser station, particularly the layout of 30 the various conveyor lines. For instance, the pallet removal conveyor may be in line with the pallet supply conveyor, the box conveyor may be at right angles with the pallet conveyor(s), and the palletiser may be located in a corner defined by these conveyors.

As a matter of fact, in an example, the pallet removal conveyor and the pallet supply conveyor may be combined into a single pallet conveyor passing the palletiser. The pallet conveyor is moving in one direction for supplying a pallet, stops this movement for allowing the palletiser to do the stacking operation, and then moves on in the same direction to move the stacked pallet away and to simultaneously supply the next pallet.

A problem is that such layout requires much floor space, which is particularly disadvantageous in a facility with plural palletisers. It is an objective to use the floor area as efficiently as possible.

With a palletiser arranged by, i.e. next to, the conveyor lines, it is inevitable that the palletiser makes transverse movements when picking a box and placing it on a pallet. Such transverse movements entail an inherent safety risk, because personnel may be hit by the transversely moving parts or, worse, become pinched between such parts and stationary objects. As a consequence, it will be necessary to provide for safety measures, either for keeping persons away or for sensing an obstruction and stopping the movement, or both. It is an objective to provide a palletiser station where such transverse movements are reduced to a minimum or are even eliminated completely.

Palletiser stations are known where the palletisers are implemented as bridges crossing the pallet and/or box conveyors, having for instance one or more pulleys guided along said bridges. A problem is that such palletiser stations have a high building profile, and assembly and maintenance need to be done at a high level. It is an objective to provide a palletiser that has a low building profile, such that assembly and maintenance can to a large extent be done by personnel standing on the ground, while further the assembled palletiser fits in a standard size transport container to allow assembly in a remote assembly facility, followed by shipping in assembled condition to a location of use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained by the following description of one or more preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which same reference numerals indicate same or similar parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a palletiser station according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of a loaded pallet, illustrating a possible pattern of 10 boxes in a stacking layer;

Figures 3A-C illustrate rotation of a pallet and placement of a box;

Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating the control of the palletiser station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a palletiser station 1 according to the present invention. The figure shows a pallet P to be loaded. The figure further shows an end section of a box conveyor 10, supplying boxes B to be stacked on the pallet 10 P. The conveying direction is indicated by an arrow. The conveyor 10 may be of any known or new type. The type of conveying mechanism, for instance rollers or belt, is not relevant for the present invention. For sake of simplicity, the figure does not show a pallet removal conveyor or pallet supply conveyor.

The (horizontal) conveying direction of the box conveyor 10 will in the following be taken as X-direction. It is to be noted that the boxes B will have horizontal dimensions smaller that the horizontal dimensions of the pallet P, and that the box conveyor 10 will have a width (measured in a horizontal Y-direction perpendicular to the X-direction) wide enough to accommodate the largest boxes to be expected but smaller than the Y-dimension of the pallet P.

The pallet P is shown in a loading position, which is aligned with the box conveyor 10. Reference numeral 11 indicates a central line of the box conveyor 10, while C indicates the centre (i.e. intersection of diagonals) of the pallet P, assuming the pallet has the usual rectangular shape. In the ideal loading position, centre C is aligned with central line 11, although some tolerance is allowed. For sake of convenience,

Reference numeral 110 indicates a gripping head of a palletiser 100. The nature of the gripping mechanism of the gripping head 110 is not essential for understanding and practicing the present invention; as a non-limiting example, the gripping head 110 may for instance be a vacuum suction head, engaging horizontal 30 top surfaces of the boxes B, or a clamp, engaging vertical side surfaces of the boxes B.

The gripping head 110 must be able to manoeuvre a box B in various directions.

A first manoeuvring direction is vertical (the Z-direction perpendicular to X and 35 Y). A box B must be lifted from the box conveyor 10, and must be lifted to the appropriate level with respect to the pallet P. It is to be noted that the top surface of the pallet P is a ground level for stacking: this is where a first layer of boxes B will be placed. Then, an optional separation sheet may be placed, and the next boxes B are placed on top of the first layer to define a second layer. It should be clear that each next stacking layer will require the boxes B to be lifted to a higher level. The palletiser 100 must be capable of lifting the gripping head 110 to, at least, the highest required stacking level.

A second manoeuvring direction is the X-direction. A box B must be displaced from the box conveyor 10 to a suitable position above the surface of the pallet P.

A third manoeuvring direction is an angular direction, i.e. a rotation about the Z-axis. It can not be expected that the boxes B on the box conveyor 10 have the same orientation as required on the pallet P. In the case of rectangular boxes, some may need to be oriented with their longitudinal direction aligned with the X-axis while others may need to be oriented with their longitudinal direction aligned with the Y-axis.

With only these three manoeuvring directions, it is in practice not possible to cover the entire surface of the pallet P. Therefore, in prior art, a palletiser 100 is also manoeuvring in the Y-direction.

According to the present invention, the palletiser station 1 comprises a rotation table 200 that carries the pallet P in its loading position, and that is capable of rotating the pallet P about the Z-axis over an angular range of at least 180° and preferably at least 360°, most preferably without limits. With the combined rotation of the rotation table 200 and the three manoeuvring directions of the gripping head 110 as mentioned, it is possible to place any box of any size on any position of the pallet, as will be explained in the following.

Figure 2 is a top view of a possible stacking pattern of 10 boxes B. Each box B has a vertical box centre line, indicated by a symbol ® in the figure. In the vertical projection of figure 2, each individual box centre line has a fixed and known X,Y coordinate. For each box B, it will be possible to rotate the rotation table 200 over a certain angle φ such that the corresponding box centre line ® is aligned with the central line 11 of the box conveyor 10. This is illustrated in figures 3A-C.

Figure 3A is a view comparable to figuresl and 2 combined, illustrating a situation where a layer of boxes has not been completed yet. Boxes which are in place are illustratively indicated with grey rectangles, while dotted lines indicate a target location where the next box B is to be placed. A symbol ® indicates the position where the box centre line of this next box B will be once this next box B has actually been placed at this target location; this will be indicated as a target position centre line. The gripping head 110 is made to engage the box B at a position aligned with its box centre line ®, and to rotate the box B over an angle β to an orientation equal to the orientation of the target location. This rotational orientation of the box B is indicated as the target orientation. It is noted that the required rotation angle β of the gripping head 110 will be dependent on the actual orientation of the box on the box conveyor 10; this required rotation angle β will be indicated as correction angle and will, in the situation of figure 3A, typically be approximately 0° or 90°.

The rotation axis of the pallet is assumed to coincide with its centre C. Line L connects target position centre line 0 with pallet centre C. This line L makes an angle φ with the central line 11 of the box conveyor 10; this angle will be indicated as target angle.

It should be understood that for each and every target position there is one unique target position centre line 0 and hence one unique target angle φ.

Figure 3B is a view comparable to figure 3A, but now the pallet P has been rotated over said target angle φ, so that the relevant target position centre line 0 of the target position is aligned with the central line 11 of the box conveyor 10, positioned in between the pallet centre C and the box conveyor 10. The gripping 15 head 110 has been made to rotate the box B over an adaptation angle Θ equal to φ, so that with respect to the pallet P the box B still has the correct orientation.

It may be noted that, in view of the symmetry of rectangular boxes, rotation over 0 = φ is equivalent to rotation over Θ = φ -180°. In the case of square boxes, rotation over Θ = φ is even equivalent to rotation over θ = φ - 90°.

It may further be noted that, in view of the symmetry of rectangular boxes, rotation over Θ = φ is equivalent to rotation over θ = 180° - φ in opposite direction. In the case of square boxes, rotation over Θ = φ is even equivalent to rotation over θ = 90° - φ in opposite direction.

Figure 3C is a view comparable to figure 3B, in which, with respect to the situation shown in figure 3B, the gripping head 110 has been displaced in the X-direction over the distance required to bring the box B to its destined stacking position.

Thus, whatever the rotational orientation of a box B on the box conveyor 10, and whatever the desired rotational orientation of that box B on the pallet P, and whatever the desired X,Y position of that box B on the pallet P, it is always possible to place such box at any desired X,Y position and in the desired rotational orientation by a linear displacement of the gripping head 110 in X-direction only, in combination with rotations of the gripping head 110 and the rotation table 200 over suitably selected angles Θ and φ, respectively.

It is noted that, as compared to a palletiser without a rotating support table for the pallet, the displacement range required for the gripping head 110 in the X-direction is less, since the gripping head 110 does not need to be displaced beyond the pallet centre C.

It is further noted that the movements of the box do not need to be performed discrete and successive, as in the above explanation. It is further not necessary that the box B is first rotated over angle β and subsequently rotated over angle Θ. It is possible, and even more efficient, that the box B, after having been picked up from the box conveyor 10, is displaced in X-direction and is simultaneously rotated over an angle β + Θ.

Further, rotation of the pallet over angle φ may be performed simultaneously, at least partly, with the rotation of the box. It is preferred that, in any case in a last phase of the placement action when the box is close to landing, the rotation speed of 10 the box equals the rotation speed of the pallet, while at all times in this last phase the box orientation is equal to the pallet orientation.

In the above explanation, it was assumed that the boxes B on the box conveyor 10 are aligned with the conveyor centre line 11, in any case at the position where the gripping head 110 fetches the boxes. The box conveyor 10 may be equipped with alignment means for ensuring such alignment by displacing the boxes in Y-direction, if needed. Alternatively, the palletiser 100 may comprise compensation means for slightly displacing the gripping head 110 in Y-direction to compensate for any misalignment, if needed. However, in practice, a misalignment of a few centimetres will cause no problem because the only consequence will be that the gripping head 110 does not hold the box exactly centered. The corresponding transverse deviation of the box can be largely compensated by a small rotation of the pallet rotation table 200.

After stacking the boxes B on to the pallet P, it is customary that the loaded 25 pallet is conveyed to a wrapping station where a transparent foil is wrapped around the stack of boxes. The wrapping is typically done by placing the pallet onto a rotation table which is positioned adjacent a foil holder/dispenser, and making the pallet with its stack of boxes rotate while foil is taken from the foil holder/dispenser, which is only moving in vertical direction. It is a great advantage of the present 30 invention that such wrapping station can be integrated with the palletiser, because the palletiser already comprises a rotation table.

Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating the control of the palletiser station. A control device 400 has a first control output 401 coupled to the rotatable gripping 35 head 110 for controlling the rotational position of the gripping head 110 with respect to a vertical rotation axis. The control device 400 has a second control output 402 coupled to the rotation table 200 for controlling the rotational position of the rotation table 200.

Reference numeral 300 indicates a displacement apparatus for displacing the gripping head 110. The displacement apparatus is capable of lifting and lowering the gripping head 110; this functional facility is schematically indicated at block 310. The displacement apparatus is capable of horizontally displacing the gripping head 110 in 5 the X-direction; this functional facility is schematically indicated at block 320.

Preferably, these two functional facilities are controllable individually.

The control device 400 in the embodiment shown has a third control output 431 coupled to the displacement apparatus 300 for controlling the vertical displacement of the gripping head 110, and a fourth control output 432 coupled to the 10 displacement apparatus 300 for controlling the horizontal displacement of the gripping head 110.

It is noted that the precise design of the displacement apparatus 300 is not essential for implementing the present invention. Various options are available to the skilled person. It is therefore not necessary to describe such design details here.

It is particular noted in this respect that the said horizontal and vertical displacement facilities do not need to be totally separate. It is possible that displacement is executed along a track that has a vertical component as well as a horizontal component, and that the displacement device performs these displacement components in combination.

It should be clear to a person skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments discussed above, but that several variations and modifications are possible within the protective scope of the invention as defined in the appending claims. For instance, two or more functions may be performed by 25 one single entity, unit or processor. Even if certain features are recited in different dependent claims, the present invention also relates to an embodiment comprising these features in common. Even if certain features have been described in combination with each other, the present invention also relates to an embodiment in which one or more of these features are omitted. Features which have not been explicitly described as being essential may also be omitted. Any reference signs in a claim should not be construed as limiting the scope of that claim.

In the above, the present invention has been explained with reference to block diagrams, which illustrate functional blocks of the device according to the present invention. It is to be understood that one or more of these functional blocks may be 35 implemented in hardware, where the function of such functional block is performed by individual hardware components, but it is also possible that one or more of these functional blocks are implemented in software, so that the function of such functional block is performed by one or more program lines of a computer program or a programmable device such as a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, etc.

Claims (9)

CONCLUSIESCONCLUSIONS 1. Palletiseerstation (1) voor het stapelen van dozen (B) op pallets (P), omvattende:A palletizing station (1) for stacking boxes (B) on pallets (P), comprising: een tafel (200) voor het ontvangen van een te beladen pallet (P);a table (200) for receiving a pallet (P) to be loaded; een palletiseerder (100) met een grijpkop (110) voor het grijpen van een doos (B) vanaf een doostransporteur (10) en het overdragen van de doos vanaf de doostransporteur naar een positie boven de rotatietafel (200);a palletizer (100) with a gripping head (110) for gripping a box (B) from a box conveyor (10) and transferring the box from the box conveyor to a position above the rotary table (200); waarbij de tafel (200) een rotatietafel (200) is die in staat is te roteren om een verticale as;wherein the table (200) is a rotation table (200) capable of rotating about a vertical axis; en waarbij de grijpkop (110) een draaibare grijpkop (110) is die de dozen (B) om een verticale as kan roteren.and wherein the gripping head (110) is a rotatable gripping head (110) that can rotate the boxes (B) about a vertical axis. 2. Palletiseerstation volgens conclusie 1, verder omvattende een doostransporteur (10) voor het transporteren van dozen naar de palletiseerder, waarbij de rotatietafel (200) is opgesteld dichtbij een uiteinde van de doostransporteur, in lijn met een centrale lijn (11) van de doostransporteur, en waarbij de palletiseerder (100) een verplaatsingsapparaat (300) omvat dat een verticale verplaatsingsfunctionaliteit (310) heeft voor het optillen en laten zakken van de grijpkop (110) in verticale richting, en die een horizontale verplaatsingsfunctionaliteit (320) heeft voor het overdragen van de dozen vanaf de doostransporteur naar een positie boven de rotatietafel in een horizontale verplaatsingsrichting (X) in lijn met de transporteerrichting van de doostransporteur (10).The palletizing station of claim 1, further comprising a box conveyor (10) for transporting boxes to the palletizer, wherein the rotary table (200) is arranged near an end of the box conveyor, in line with a central line (11) of the box conveyor and wherein the palletizer (100) comprises a displacement device (300) that has a vertical displacement functionality (310) for lifting and lowering the gripping head (110) in the vertical direction, and that has a horizontal displacement functionality (320) for transferring of the boxes from the box conveyor to a position above the rotary table in a horizontal direction of movement (X) in line with the direction of transport of the box conveyor (10). 3. Palletiseerstation volgens conclusie 1 of 2, verder omvattende een besturingsinrichting (400) voor het aansturen van de hoekstand van de rotatietafel (200), de hoekstand van de grijpkop (110), en de overbrengende verplaatsing van de grijpkop (110).The palletizing station of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a control device (400) for controlling the angular position of the rotary table (200), the angular position of the gripping head (110), and the transferring movement of the gripping head (110). 4. Palletiseerstation volgens conclusie 3 of 4, waarbij de stuurinrichitng (400) is geprogrammeerd om een bestemmingsplaats van de doos op de pallet te berekenen, de rotatietafel aan te drijven om te roteren over een hoek φ zodanig dat genoemde bestemmingsplaats is uitgelijnd met de doostransporteur, en de grijpkop aan te drijven om te roteren over een equivalente hoek Θ.Palletizing station according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the control device (400) is programmed to calculate a destination location of the box on the pallet, driving the rotary table to rotate through an angle φ such that said destination location is aligned with the box conveyor , and drive the gripping head to rotate through an equivalent angle Θ. 5. Palletiseerstation volgens conclusie 3, waarbij de stuurinrichting (400) geprogrammeerd is om de rotatie van de rotatietafel en de rotatie van de grijpkop simultaan uit te voeren met de transferverplaatsing van de grijpkop.The palletizing station of claim 3, wherein the control device (400) is programmed to perform the rotation of the rotary table and the rotation of the gripping head simultaneously with the transfer displacement of the gripping head. 6. Palletiseerstation volgens een willekeurige der voorafgaande conclusies, verder omvattende een naast de rotatietafel opgesteld geïntegreerd wikkelstation om een folie rondom de stapel dozen te wikkelen nadat het stapelen is voltooid.Palletizing station as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, further comprising an integrated wrapping station arranged next to the rotation table for wrapping a foil around the stack of boxes after the stacking is completed. 7. Werkwijze voor het stapelen van dozen (B) op pallets (P), welke werkwijze de stappen omvat van:A method for stacking boxes (B) on pallets (P), which method comprises the steps of: het plaatsen van de pallet (P) op een rotatietafel (200);placing the pallet (P) on a rotary table (200); het toevoeren van een doos (B) naar een toevoerplaats naast de rotatietafel (200);supplying a box (B) to a supply location adjacent to the rotary table (200); het bepalen van een doelplaats op de pallet waar de doos (B) geplaatst moet worden;determining a target location on the pallet where the box (B) is to be placed; het bepalen van een doeloriëntatie van de doos (B) op de pallet;determining a target orientation of the box (B) on the pallet; het roteren van de pallet (P) om een verticale rotatieas, zodat genoemde doelplaats zich bevindt tussen de doos (B) en genoemde rotatieas;rotating the pallet (P) about a vertical axis of rotation, so that said target location is between the box (B) and said axis of rotation; het roteren van de doos (B) om een verticale rotatieas, zodat de doos (B) is uitgelijnd met genoemde doeloriëntatie;rotating the box (B) about a vertical axis of rotation so that the box (B) is aligned with said target orientation; het overdragen van de doos (B) vanaf de toevoerplaats naar de doelplaats op de pallet.transferring the box (B) from the supply location to the target location on the pallet. 8. Werkwijze volgens conclusie 7, waarbij de stappen van het roteren van de pallet, het roteren van de doos, en het overzetten van de doos althans gedeeltelijk worden uitgevoerd met overlap in tijd.A method according to claim 7, wherein the steps of rotating the pallet, rotating the box, and transferring the box are carried out at least partially with overlap in time. 9. Werkwijze volgens conclusie 7 of 8, waarbij, nadat het stapelen is voltooid, er een folie rondom de stapel wordt gewikkeld terwijl genoemde rotatietafel (200) wordt geroteerd om de pallet te laten roteren.The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein, after the stacking is completed, a film is wrapped around the stack while said rotary table (200) is rotated to cause the pallet to rotate. 1 /51/5