METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A MATERIAL BATCH FOR AN END PRODUCT

Abstract

The disclosure includes a method and an apparatus for forming a material batch in a continuous manner to form an end product. A material batch (4) is formed from material pieces (1) of predetermined sizes on a temporary storage device (2) by leaving a gap between each of the material pieces (1), and at least two temporary storage devices (2, 108) are arranged side by side and/or one above the other in order to collect the material batch, and the material batch is collected on a temporary storage device such that a material batch is collected on each of the temporary storage devices one after the other and the next material batch is formed on a next temporary storage device when the previous material batch is ready on a previous temporary storage device.

Claims

1. A method for forming a material batch in a continuous manner in order to form an end product, wherein a material batch is formed from material pieces of predetermined sizes on a temporary storage device by leaving a gap between each of the material pieces, and at least two temporary storage devices are arranged side by side and/or one above the other in order to collect the material batch, and the material batch is collected on a temporary storage device such that a material batch is collected on each of the temporary storage devices one after the other and the next material batch is formed on a next temporary storage device when the previous material batch is ready on a previous temporary storage device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material pieces are formed in a continuous manner by means of heat and extrusion from a desired starting material.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material pieces are formed from a material profile, which is formed in a material profile forming device by means of heat, by cutting the profile into material pieces of desired sizes before transferring them to the temporary storage device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material pieces are formed by dispensing a starting material by means of a dispensing device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material pieces are transferred from a material piece forming device, material profile forming device or material piece cutting device to the temporary storage device.

6. (canceled)

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material piece is transferred to the temporary storage device by means of the first transfer device in order to arrange material piece feed to the temporary storage device at a suitable speed in order to arrange sufficient gaps between the material pieces.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temporary storage device has been selected from the following: platform, conveyor, belt, conveyor belt, roll, table, a corresponding device, or their combination.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the delay time of the material piece from the material piece forming device, material profile forming device or material piece cutting device to the temporary storage device is adjusted so as to keep the material piece at a desired temperature for the time of forming the material batch.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temporary storage device is heated in order to keep the material pieces at a desired temperature for the time of forming the material batch.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one predetermined material batch which has been formed from the material pieces is arranged from at least one temporary storage device on a collecting base of a second transfer device, and the material batch is positioned at a predetermined. location on the collecting base, and the material batch is transferred by means of the second transfer device to end product formation.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein more than one material batch are arranged on the collecting base of the second transfer device, and the material batches are positioned in a predetermined arrangement on the collecting base.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the collecting base of the second transfer device is moved below or at the side of the temporary storage device while collecting the material batch in order to arrange the material pieces of the material batch at desired positions on the collecting base.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material batch is kept heated, at above 80° C., for the time of transferring by the second transfer device and until it has been delivered to end product formation.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the end product is formed from the material batch or batches in one step.

16. An apparatus for forming a material batch in a continuous manner in order to form an end product, wherein the apparatus comprises temporary storage devices on which a material batch is formed from material pieces of predetermined sizes by leaving a gap between each of the material pieces, and the apparatus comprises at least two temporary storage devices arranged side by side and/or one above the other, for collecting the material batch, wherein the material batch is collected on a temporary storage device such that a material batch is collected on each of the temporary storage devices one after the other and the next material batch is formed on a next temporary storage device when the previous material batch is ready on a previous temporary storage device.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one material piece forming device.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one material profile forming device to form a material profile, from which the material pieces are formed, and the material profile forming device forms the material profile at least by means of heat.

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one second transfer device, by means of which at least one predetermined material batch which has been formed from the material pieces is transferable from at least one temporary storage device to end product formation, and the second transfer device comprises a collecting base on which the material batch is collected and on which the material batch is positioned at a predetermined location.

23. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second transfer device has been selected from the following: computer-controlled transfer device, remote-controlled transfer device, automatic transfer device, belt conveyor, robotic device, industrial robot, manipulator, or their combination.

24. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the collecting base of the second transfer device or part of it is independently controllable and movable.

25. (canceled)

26. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second transfer device or its collecting base is directable to a predetermined position in relation to the end product manufacturing device in order to transfer the material batches from the second transfer device to the end product manufacturing device.

27. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one heating device for keeping the material batches at a desired temperature or for heating them for the time of transferring and until they have been delivered to end product formation.

28. (canceled)

Description

LIST OF FIGURES

[0055] FIG. 1 represents one process according to the invention,

[0056] FIG. 2 represents another process according to the invention,

[0057] FIG. 3 represents another process according to the invention,

[0058] FIG. 4 represents one additional stage of a process according to the invention, and

[0059] FIG. 5 represents another additional stage of a process according to the invention.

EXAMPLES

[0060] The invention will be described below by way of detailed examples of its embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures.

Example 1

[0061] In this example, material batches (4) are formed in a continuous manner for an end product (6).

[0062] The apparatus of FIG. 1 comprises two temporary storage devices (2) arranged side by side, on which the material batch (4) is formed from material pieces (1) of predetermined sizes. The temporary storage device is herein a conveyor belt. Each material batch (4) contains more than one material piece (1). The material batch is formed by leaving a gap between each of the material pieces (1) on the temporary storage device (2). A material batch is collected on each of the temporary storage devices (2) one after the other. The material batch (4) may be conveyed or transferred, either directly of via temporary storage, to a further treatment step (5) for forming the end product (6). The material batch may be rearranged after the temporary storage device (2) into an arrangement suited for manufacturing the end product and/or the material batch may be transferred by means of a further treatment step, i.e. a second transfer device, to the further treatment step (5).

[0063] In this embodiment, the temporary storage devices (2) are laterally movable to a suitable position for collecting the material batch from the material pieces.

Example 2

[0064] In this example, material batches (4) are formed in a continuous manner for an end product (6).

[0065] The apparatus of FIG. 2 comprises two temporary storage devices (2) arranged side by side, on which the material batch (4) is formed from material pieces (1) of predetermined sizes. The temporary storage device is herein a conveyor device.

[0066] The material pieces (1) are formed from a material profile (7), which is formed in a material profile forming device (8) at least by means of heat, and in one embodiment also pressure. The material profile (7) is cut into the material pieces (1) of desired sizes by means of a cutting device (9) before transferring the material pieces to the temporary storage device (2).

[0067] Each material batch (4) contains more than one material piece (1). The material batch is formed by leaving a gap between each of the material pieces (1) on the temporary storage device (2). A material batch is collected on each of the temporary storage devices (2) one after the other. The material batch (4) may be conveyed or transferred, either directly of via temporary storage, to a further treatment step (5) for forming the end product (6). The material batch may be rearranged after the temporary storage device (2) into an arrangement suited for manufacturing the end product and/or the material batch may be transferred by means of a further treatment step, i.e. a second transfer device, to the further treatment step (5).

Example 3

[0068] In this example, material batches (4) are formed in a continuous manner for an end product (6).

[0069] The apparatus of FIG. 3 comprises two temporary storage devices (2) arranged side by side, on which the material batch (4) is formed from material pieces (1) of predetermined sizes. The temporary storage device is herein a conveyor belt.

[0070] The material pieces (1) are formed from a material profile (7), which is formed in a material profile forming device (8) at least by means of heat, and in one embodiment also pressure. The material profile (7) is cut into the material pieces (1) of desired sizes by means of a cutting device (9) before transferring the material pieces to the temporary storage device (2).

[0071] The material pieces (1) are transferred to the temporary storage device (2) by means of a first transfer device (10). The first transfer device is in this example a transferrer, the purpose of which is to adjust the material piece feed to the movement speed of the temporary storage device, such as to the moving speed of the belt.

[0072] Each material batch (4) contains more than one material piece (1). The material batch is formed by leaving a gap between each of the material pieces (1) on the temporary storage device (2). A material batch is collected on each of the temporary storage devices (2) one after the other. The material batch (4) may be conveyed of transferred, either directly of via temporary storage, to a further treatment step (5) for forming the end product (6). The material batch may be rearranged after the temporary storage device (2) into an arrangement suited for manufacturing the end product and/or the material batch may be transferred by means of a further treatment step, i.e. a second transfer device, to the further treatment step (5).

[0073] In this embodiment, the first transfer device (10) is movable in order to deliver the material pieces (1) to the desired temporary storage device (2) by means of the transfer device. If desired, also the temporary storage devices (2) are laterally movable to a suitable position for collecting the material batch from the material pieces.

Example 4

[0074] In this example, material batches are formed in a continuous manner for an end product.

[0075] The apparatus of this example comprises two temporary storage devices arranged side by side, on which the material batch is formed from a material piece of a predetermined size. The temporary storage device is herein a conveyor belt. Each material batch contains one material piece. The material batch is formed by arranging a gap between each of the material pieces in connection with or after the formation of the material piece in order to position the material pieces flexibly on the temporary storage devices. A material batch is collected on each of the temporary storage devices one after the other. The material batch may be conveyed or transferred, either directly of via temporary storage, to a further treatment step for forming the end product. The material batch may be transferred by means of a further treatment step, i.e. a second transfer device, to the further treatment step.

[0076] In this embodiment, the temporary storage devices are laterally movable to a suitable position for collecting the material batch.

Example 5

[0077] In this example, material portions are collected and transferred in a continuous manner in order to form an end product by a further process of FIG. 4.

[0078] A predetermined material portion or predetermined material portions (100), determined for example on the basis of size, dimensions, weight or volume, are transferred to a collecting base of a second transfer device (101). The material portions being collected on the collecting base may be of different sizes in relation to each other. The material portions are positioned at a predetermined location on the collecting base. Thus, they are transferable to end product formation (102) in a desired arrangement, such that a suitable material portion is arranged directly at a desired position on an end product manufacturing device and the formation of an end product (103) becomes easier and quicker. The end product (103) may be formed e.g. by casting or pressing, and/or by means of heat, if necessary.

[0079] The second transfer device (101) may be in this embodiment a computer-controlled transfer device, robot or manipulator or another suitable transfer device which comprises a collecting base for collecting the material portions. The collecting base has been selected according to the purpose of use, and it may be a platform, grip platform, belt or base which has been provided with locations for the material portions, or another base suited to the purpose of use.

[0080] The further process of FIG. 4 may be an additional stage to the processes according to Examples 1-4, preferably arranged to follow the temporary storage devices.

Example 6

[0081] In this example, material portions are formed, collected, and transferred in a continuous manner in order to form an end product by a process of FIG. 5.

[0082] A starting material (104) is formed into a material for material portions (100) in a forming device (105). Formed material (106) may be conveyed to a dispensing device (107), from which it is dispensed as the material portions (100), e.g. granules, piece, or paste, to a collecting base of a second transfer device (101). Alternatively, the formed material (106) may be transferred directly from the forming device (105) to the collecting base of the second transfer device (101) to form the material portions on the collecting base. The collecting base may have been provided with depressions, receptacles or containers for the material portions, especially if the material portion is formed from granules or grains. Alternatively, the collecting base may be a platform, belt, or the like, on which the material portions formed e.g. from a paste or pieces can be easily collected.

[0083] The size of each of the material portions (100) arranged on the collecting base is predetermined for example on the basis of size, dimensions, weight, volume or run time, such as material feeding speed. The material portions being collected on the collecting base may be of different sizes in relation to each other. The important feature is that the material portions are positioned at a predetermined location on the collecting base. Thus, they are transferable to end product formation (102) in a desired arrangement, such that a suitable material portion can be arranged directly at a desired position on an end product manufacturing device and the formation of an end product (103) becomes easier and quicker. The end product (103) may be formed e.g. by casting or pressing, and/or by means of heat, if necessary.

[0084] The second transfer device may be in this embodiment a computer-controlled transfer device, robot or manipulator or another suitable transfer device which comprises a collecting base for collecting the material portions as described above.

[0085] The process of FIG. 5 may be an additional stage to the processes according to Examples 1-4.

Example 7

[0086] In this example, material portions may be formed, collected and transferred in order to form an end product according to Examples 5 or 6 such that material portions (100) are transferred to a collecting base of a second transfer device (101) from a temporary storage device (108). The temporary storage device (108) may be e.g. a belt or another suitable device on which the material portions have been collected.

[0087] The second transfer device (101) is located below or alternatively at the side of the temporary storage device (108), and the material portions (100) are transferred from the temporary storage device (108) directly to the collecting base of the second transfer device (101).

[0088] The process according to this example may be an additional stage to the processes according to Examples 1-4.

[0089] The method and apparatus according to the invention are suitable as different embodiments to be used in various applications for forming a material batch and for transferring it in order to form an end product. In addition, the method and apparatus according to the invention are suitable as different embodiments to be used in the manufacture of various end products.

[0090] The invention is not limited merely to the above-presented examples, but many modifications are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined by the claims.