A feed appliance for feeding products to a further processing appliance includes a standby circulatory apparatus with a takeover station and with several transport units that are circulatorily movable independently of one another for each receiving a product at the takeover station, a provision conveyor for feeding the products to the takeover station, and a control device for controlling the feed of the products and of the transport units into a takeover section of the takeover station and for controlling the takeover of the fed products by the transport units. The standby circulatory apparatus for creating a gapless product stream includes a release device for the cyclically controlled release of individual transport units into the takeover section. For this, the control device is designed to release a transport unit only given a feed of a cyclically correct product into the takeover section.

A feed appliance for feeding products to a further processing appliance includes a standby circulatory apparatus with a takeover station and with several transport units that are circulatorily movable independently of one another for each receiving a product at the takeover station, a provision conveyor for feeding the products to the takeover station, and a control device for controlling the feed of the products and of the transport units into a takeover section of the takeover station and for controlling the takeover of the fed products by the transport units. The standby circulatory apparatus for creating a gapless product stream includes a release device for the cyclically controlled release of individual transport units into the takeover section. For this, the control device is designed to release a transport unit only given a feed of a cyclically correct product into the takeover section.

A production configuration is determined for controlling a product processing plant that comprises a collecting system having a conveyor and a plurality of feeders for preparing product collections from products supplied by the feeders. The production configuration defines a production of a plurality of production sequences for a plurality of delivery routes, wherein each delivery route is assigned one or more production sequences, each of which define a production of a plurality of production collections of a collection type comprising a plurality of products. For each feeder an occupancy with products, which are to be conveyed by the feeder to the conveyor for preparation for the product collections, is determined. A production optimization parameter determines whether a defined production order is to be maintained for the delivery routes or whether the production order of the delivery routes can be altered. If the production order can be altered, the production sequences of a plurality of delivery routes for the production of production collections of the same collection type are combined to a cohesive production sequence and the occupancy of the feeders is determined for the production order with combined production sequences.

A production configuration is determined for controlling a product processing plant that comprises a collecting system having a conveyor and a plurality of feeders for preparing product collections from products supplied by the feeders. The production configuration defines a production of a plurality of production sequences for a plurality of delivery routes, wherein each delivery route is assigned one or more production sequences, each of which define a production of a plurality of production collections of a collection type comprising a plurality of products. For each feeder an occupancy with products, which are to be conveyed by the feeder to the conveyor for preparation for the product collections, is determined. A production optimization parameter determines whether a defined production order is to be maintained for the delivery routes or whether the production order of the delivery routes can be altered. If the production order can be altered, the production sequences of a plurality of delivery routes for the production of production collections of the same collection type are combined to a cohesive production sequence and the occupancy of the feeders is determined for the production order with combined production sequences.

Automatic unwinder of flexible materials comprising feeding means for feeding the operating machine with at least a flexible material, defining a mouth, susceptible of being traversed in the advancement direction of the material, and at least a slide guide, extended between a first end, in proximity to the mandrels, and a second end, in proximity to the mouth, and a rack, at which portions of flexible materials can be retained. The automatic unwinder further comprises at least a carriage, provided with a retention gripper, and movement means in order to move the carriage along at least a slide guide between a grip position, in which the carriage is at the first end and the gripper is susceptible of grippingly receive a free flap of the flexible material, and a release position, in which the carriage is at the second end to release the free flap at the rack.

A sheet loading apparatus for carrying a sheet loaded in a first tray to a second tray includes: a grip portion configured to grip the sheet; a sliding portion configured to move the grip portion between a sheet gripping position and a sheet release position; a lift portion configured to move the grip portion and cause the grip portion to emerge from the sheet loading surface; and a common power transmission portion configured to transmit power to both the sliding portion and the lift portion, wherein in one cycle, after the sliding portion moves the grip portion to a downstream side, the lift portion moves the grip portion downward of the sheet loading surface to cause the grip portion to reach the release position, and after the sliding portion moves the grip portion to the upstream side, the lift portion moves the grip portion to the gripping position.

A sheet loading apparatus for carrying a sheet loaded in a first tray to a second tray includes: a grip portion configured to grip the sheet; a sliding portion configured to move the grip portion between a sheet gripping position and a sheet release position; a lift portion configured to move the grip portion and cause the grip portion to emerge from the sheet loading surface; and a common power transmission portion configured to transmit power to both the sliding portion and the lift portion, wherein in one cycle, after the sliding portion moves the grip portion to a downstream side, the lift portion moves the grip portion downward of the sheet loading surface to cause the grip portion to reach the release position, and after the sliding portion moves the grip portion to the upstream side, the lift portion moves the grip portion to the gripping position.

The transport device has at least one movable slide for conveying blister packs. A linear motor drive device is used to drive the slide along a guide rail. The slide has at least one permanent magnet for interaction with the linear motor drive device. In addition, a retaining element for holding a product insert is arranged on the slide and is moved with the slide. The retaining element is operable between an activated or closed position to hold the product insert and a deactivated or opened position to receive or release the product insert.

Automatic unwinder of flexible materials comprising feeding means for feeding the operating machine with at least a flexible material, defining a mouth, susceptible of being traversed in the advancement direction of the material, and at least a slide guide, extended between a first end, in proximity to the mandrels, and a second end, in proximity to the mouth, and a rack, at which portions of flexible materials can be retained. The automatic unwinder further comprises at least a carriage, provided with a retention gripper, and movement means in order to move the carriage along at least a slide guide between a grip position, in which the carriage is at the first end and the gripper is susceptible of grippingly receive a free flap of the flexible material, and a release position, in which the carriage is at the second end to release the free flap at the rack.