TRANSFER DEVICE FOR CONVEYOR

Abstract

Disclosed is an object transfer device for a conveying installation, the device including a main object conveying path and a plurality of rotary drive elements, the rotary elements being configured to adopt a lowered position in which the element is situated below the main path a raised position in which the element projects above the main path in order to drive an object, the rotary drive element including drive surfaces with external diameters that vary over the length of the element, wherein the drive surfaces of the rotary drive elements have an external diameter that varies according to the angular position of the rotary element along the transfer path. Also disclosed is a conveying installation including such transfer device.

Claims

1. A device (9) for transferring one or more objects for a conveying installation, said device (9) comprising a main path (C.sub.P) for conveying one or more objects and a plurality of rotary drive elements (11), said rotary elements (11) being configured to adopt at least two positions: a lowered position in which said element (11) is located below the main conveying path (C.sub.P) and does not drive an object; a raised position in which said element (11) projects above the main conveying path (C.sub.P) to drive an object; wherein a rotary drive element (11) has drive surfaces with varying external diameters along the length of the element (11), and wherein the plurality of rotary drive elements (11) defines a curved transfer path (C.sub.T; C.sub.T′) followed by the object, wherein the drive surfaces of the rotary drive elements (11) have an outer diameter varying as a function of an angular position (β) of said rotary element (11) on the transfer path (C.sub.T; C.sub.T′).

2. The device (9) according to claim 1, wherein the external diameter of the rotary element (11) increases according to the distance to the center of curvature (Ω) of said transfer path (C.sub.T; C.sub.T′).

3. The device (9) according to claim 1, wherein the rotary drive elements (11) pass from a lowered position to a raised position, in succession, the rotary element being in the raised position when the object to be driven is located opposite said element (11).

4. The device (9) according to claim 1, wherein the main conveying path (C.sub.P) comprises discrete drive elements.

5. The device (9) according to claim 1, wherein the main conveying path (C.sub.P) comprises slides (13) each able to receive a drive belt.

6. The device (9) according to claim 8, wherein said slides (13) are made of a flexible material.

7. The device (9) according to claim 1, wherein one or more rotary drive elements (11) comprise at least one roll (11a) and one or more rollers (11b) mounted on said roll (11a).

8. An installation (1; 1′) for conveying objects, said installation (1; 1′) comprising at least two conveyors (3, 5, 7, 7′), a transfer device (9) according to claim 1 for one or more objects, said transfer device (9) being interposed between said at least two conveyors (3, 5, 7, 7′) and thus defining at least one main conveying path (C.sub.P) and at least one transfer path (C.sub.T; C.sub.T′).

9. The device (9) according to claim 2, wherein the rotary drive elements (11) pass from a lowered position to a raised position, in succession, the rotary element being in the raised position when the object to be driven is located opposite said element (11).

10. The device (9) according to claim 2, wherein the main conveying path (C.sub.P) comprises discrete drive elements.

11. The device (9) according to claim 3, wherein the main conveying path (C.sub.P) comprises discrete drive elements.

12. The device of claim 4, wherein the discrete drive elements comprise drive belts.

13. The device (9) according to claim 2, wherein the main conveying path (C.sub.P) comprises slides (13) each able to receive a drive belt.

14. The device (9) according to claim 3, wherein the main conveying path (C.sub.P) comprises slides (13) each able to receive a drive belt.

15. The device (9) according to claim 4, wherein the main conveying path (C.sub.P) comprises slides (13) each able to receive a drive belt.

16. The device (9) according to claim 2, wherein one or more rotary drive elements (11) comprise at least one roll (11a) and one or more rollers (11b) mounted on said roll (11a).

17. The device (9) according to claim 3, wherein one or more rotary drive elements (11) comprise at least one roll (11a) and one or more rollers (11b) mounted on said roll (11a).

18. The device (9) according to claim 4, wherein one or more rotary drive elements (11) comprise at least one roll (11a) and one or more rollers (11b) mounted on said roll (11a).

19. The device (9) according to claim 5, wherein one or more rotary drive elements (11) comprise at least one roll (11a) and one or more rollers (11b) mounted on said roll (11a).

20. The device (9) according to claim 6, wherein one or more rotary drive elements (11) comprise at least one roll (11a) and one or more rollers (11b) mounted on said roll (11a).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] The invention will be better understood, and other purposes, details, features and advantages thereof will become clearer in the course of the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given solely by way of illustration and not limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a very schematic view, from above, of a portion of a installation for conveying objects comprising a transfer device according to the invention according to a first use (as a collector);

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a very schematic view, from above, of a portion of a installation for conveying objects comprising a transfer device according to the invention according to a second use (as a sorter);

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a transfer device of FIG. 1;

[0051] FIG. 3a is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a slide of the device of FIG. 3;

[0052] FIG. 4 is an extracted view of FIG. 3 in which the actuators of the drive elements have been highlighted;

[0053] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view, from above, of a transfer device according to a variant of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a very schematic view, from above, of a portion of an installation 1 for conveying objects that includes three conveyors 3, 5 and 7, as well as a transfer device 9 according to the invention. FIG. 1 shows a first possible use of the transfer device 9 according to the invention, that is, when the latter is used as a collector or collection device for objects in a conveying installation 1.

[0055] More particularly, the installation 1 comprises an upstream conveyor 3 arranged upstream of the device 9, a downstream conveyor 5 arranged downstream of the device 9 and a collection conveyor 7 also arranged upstream of said device 9.

[0056] The upstream conveyor 3, the downstream conveyor 5 and the transfer device 9 define a main path C.sub.P for conveying objects, on which a flow of objects circulates in a direction S.sub.P. The transfer device 9 also defines a transfer path C.sub.T. Thus, when an object is inserted in a direction S.sub.T, by the collection conveyor 7, the object joins the main path C.sub.P via the transfer path C.sub.T (provided that the device 9 is activated).

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a conveying installation 1′ in which the transfer device 9 is used as a sorter. It should be noted that the same references are used hereafter to designate objects similar to those in FIG. 1.

[0058] Thus, the conveying installation 1′ comprises an upstream conveyor 3 arranged upstream of the device 9, a downstream conveyor 5 arranged downstream of the device 9 and a sorting conveyor 7′ arranged downstream of said device 9.

[0059] Thus, the upstream conveyor 3, the downstream conveyor 5 and the transfer device 9 define a main path C.sub.P for conveying objects, on which a flow of objects circulates in a direction S.sub.P.

[0060] More particularly, the said device 9 (when it is activated) enables the extraction (or to sorting) of an object circulating on the main conveyor path C.sub.P and the transfer (or to diverting) of it in the direction of the sorting conveyor 7′ (by means of an exit ramp), this by making it follow a transfer path C.sub.T′.

[0061] A flow of objects circulates in a direction S.sub.P along the main path C.sub.P (from the upstream conveyor 3 towards the downstream conveyor 5), while the objects transferred towards the sorting conveyor 7′, follow the transfer path C.sub.T′, in a direction S.sub.T′.

[0062] Thus, whatever the use of the transfer device 9, the transfer path C.sub.T or C.sub.T′ has a substantially curved shape. In this way, the transferred object follows a trajectory that is also substantially curved. The transfer path and/or the trajectory of the object can be circular, elliptical, parabolic, etc.

[0063] It is possible to characterize the transfer path C.sub.T or C.sub.T′ by one or more radii of the curvature ρ and centers of the curvature Ω. The one or more radii of the curvature ρ are, for example, between 900 and 1300 mm.

[0064] Furthermore, in an embodiment not described, it is particularly advantageous to have a transfer path with two successive radii of curvature ρ1 and ρ2, with the respective centers of curvature Ω1 and Ω2, in which ρ1 is less than ρ2. The object that travels along said transfer path C.sub.T or C.sub.T′ thus follows a trajectory defined first by ρ1 and then by ρ2.

[0065] Furthermore, it will be noted that the upstream conveyor 3 and the downstream conveyor 5 may be a single conveyor (or conveying installation) arranged to receive the transfer device 9.

[0066] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective and top view of a transfer device 9 according to the invention.

[0067] More particularly, the transfer device 9 comprises: [0068] at least a portion of the main conveying path C.sub.P configured for a flow of objects to travel along; [0069] a plurality of rotary drive elements 11 that define the transfer path C.sub.T (or detour path). Said plurality of rotary drive elements 11 are configured to drive an object contacting said elements 11, that is, the rotation of said elements 11 enables a movement be conveyed, by mechanical contact, to the objects to be transferred. More particularly, said rotary elements 11 include drive surfaces that are the surfaces contacting the object and enabling it to be moved.

[0070] It will be noted that the main path C.sub.P is substantially a plane, the flow of conveyed objects moving on the surface of said plane.

[0071] The rotary elements 11 are configured to adopt at least two positions: [0072] a lowered position in which the elements 11 are located below the main conveying path C.sub.P (thus below the plane); [0073] a raised positioning which the elements 11 project above the main conveying path C.sub.P (thus above the plane) to transfer an object.

[0074] Thus, when the elements 11 project above the conveying path C.sub.P, the objects conveyed on the main path C.sub.P are thus deviated (or transferred) by the elements 11 and then follow the transfer path C.sub.T or C.sub.T′.

[0075] This deviation of the objects enables either the sorting or the collection of an object, depending on the use of the transfer device 9 (as well as its position) in a conveying installation 1.

[0076] The transfer device 9 also comprises a plurality of slides 13 adapted to each accommodate a drive belt (not shown). The drive belts enable the objects to be conveyed along the main path C.sub.P (or at least part of said main path). It should be noted that the drive belts may be included in the transfer device 9, but may also be an element of the upstream conveyors 3 and/or downstream conveyors 5.

[0077] The slides 13 are discrete elements separated from each other by a distance d. Said slides 13 are made of a flexible material, such as plastic or a polymeric material.

[0078] More particularly, FIG. 3a shows a schematic and enlarged cross section view of a slide 13. The slide 13 made in one piece, for example, includes a base 13a from which two walls 13b and 13c project. The base 13a and the walls 13b and 13c thus define a housing 13d for a drive belt. It should be noted that said walls 13b and 13c also have the function of limiting the lateral displacement of the drive belt.

[0079] Furthermore, one of the walls 13b defining the housing 13d comprises a return located on the upper part of the wall 13b and oriented towards said housing 13d. This particular shape (substantially square-shaped) makes it possible to limit the risks of the belt being “unseated”, that is, the belt coming out of the housing 13d, for example, following a collision between objects or the deformation of an object (such as a cardboard).

[0080] It should be noted that it is advantageous for the rotary drive elements 11 to have drive surfaces having varying external diameters along their length (one can also speak of sections varying along their length).

[0081] Thus, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a rotary element 11 comprises a roll 11a of cylindrical shape, for example, and one or more rollers 11b mounted on said roll 11a. The rollers 11b are the areas that come into contact with the object when the rotary element 11 is in the up position, so the object/rotary element 11 contact is discrete. The rollers 11b thus define the drive surfaces of the rotary element 11, said drive surfaces being discontinuous.

[0082] Furthermore, it is particularly advantageous for the diameter of the rollers to vary according to the position of the roller 11b on the roll 11a, since the peripheral speed (that is, the driving speed) of the roller increases as the diameter of the roller 11b increases. More particularly, by positioning the rollers 11b that have a diameter that increases as a function of the distance from the center of curvature Ω of said transfer path C.sub.T or C.sub.T′.

[0083] The rollers 11b are mounted on the roll 11a in such a way that they do not come into contact with the slides 13 when the rotary drive elements 11 are in the raised position.

[0084] In an embodiment not shown, the roll of the rotary elements is tapered and includes substantially identical rollers; the taper of the roller in association with the rollers leads to a variation in the outer diameter of the drive surfaces of the rotary element. More particularly, the outer diameter of the drive surface of the rotary element increases as a function of the distance from the center of curvature Ω of the transfer path C.sub.T or C.sub.T′.

[0085] Thus, regardless of the embodiment, the rotary drive elements 11 have specific drive surfaces distributed at the level of the main conveying path C.sub.P, which may be on either side of the main path C.sub.P (e.g., by framing said path) and/or within said main path C.sub.P. The rollers 11b, in the raised position, are flush above the conveying surface of the main path C.sub.P, for example between the slides 13.

[0086] Furthermore, the transfer device 9 also comprises one or more actuators 15 configured to raise and lower one or more rotary drive elements 11.

[0087] The actuator(s), such as cylinders, may be hydraulic, electric, etc.

[0088] Said actuators 15 are more particularly visible in FIG. 4, which is an extracted view of FIG. 3 in which a casing 16 housing the actuators 15 has been omitted.

[0089] In the embodiment shown, an actuator 15 enables the raising or lowering of two consecutive rotary elements 11.

[0090] Nevertheless, it should be noted that an actuator 15 can raise and lower any number of rotary elements (from 1 to n, where n is a natural number greater than 1).

[0091] In the present case, the device 9 comprises connecting pieces 17a and 17b connecting the opposite ends of two consecutive rotary elements 11.

[0092] Thus, the ends, closest to the center of curvature Ω, of two rotary elements 11 are connected by a first connecting piece 17a that is itself connected to an actuator 15. The opposite ends, that is, the ends farthest from center of curvature Ω, are, in turn, connected to each other by a second connecting piece 17b. Said second connecting piece 17b is attached to a support structure 19 via a hinge 21. Thus, under the effect of an actuator 15, the first connecting part 17a is lifted (that is moved in the direction of the conveyor path), also causing, via the hinge 21, the displacement of the second connecting part 17b. This results in the movement of two rotary elements 11 from a lowered to a raised position and vice versa. The actuator 15, the connecting parts 17a and 17b, and the hinge 21 enable the rotary elements 11 to translate from one substantially horizontal plane to another.

[0093] Furthermore, the rotary elements 11 are driven in rotation by a motor. In the embodiment described in FIG. 3, one of the rotary elements 11 is motorized, that is, it includes inside the roll 11a, for example, a motor configured to rotate said roll 11a about its axis of revolution.

[0094] In general, only some of the rotary elements 11 are motorized and the device 9 comprises transmission belts 23 connecting the roll 11a of said elements 11 to each other, in this way the motorized rotary element 11 rotates the other rotary elements 11 through the transmission belts 23.

[0095] Preferably, the rotary elements 11 are connected from close to each other by means of transmission belts 23.

[0096] Furthermore, the transmission belts 23 are advantageously elastic, in order to tolerate the variation in distance between the rotary elements 11 when these are raised and lowered (more particularly, when two rotary elements 11 connected by a belt are in different positions).

[0097] In order to optimize the flow of conveyed and diverted objects, whether for collecting or sorting, each of the actuators 15 is configured to independently move at least two rotary drive elements 11 in a successive and independent manner. The rotary elements 11 are in the raised position when the object to be transferred is located opposite the said elements 11, once the object has been deflected by the elements 11, the latter return to the lowered position so as not to interfere with other objects circulating on the main conveying path C.sub.P.

[0098] Thus, in this embodiment, it can be seen that two rotary elements 11 connected by connecting parts 17a and 17b define a transfer step that corresponds to the minimum distance between objects circulating on the main path that can be deviated without disturbing the flow of objects on the main path.

[0099] Naturally, according to the nature of the objects (dimensions, weight, etc.) and the desired object flow rates, the number of linked rotary elements 11 capable of independent raising and/or lowering may vary. More particularly, the transfer step is substantially equal to the transverse dimension of a rotary element 11 or set of rotary elements 11 capable of successive raising and lowering.

[0100] In an alternative embodiment not shown, the transfer device according to the invention comprises at least one sensor configured to determine one or more extension dimensions of the object to be transferred and/or the distance between two consecutive objects travelling on the main conveying path OP.

[0101] The most relevant extension dimension to be determined, when inserting an object, is the dimension of the object that extends along the conveying direction of the object. However, the sensor or sensors can also be configured to determine other dimensions of the object, whether the objects running on the collection conveyor 7, the downstream conveyor 3 and/or the transfer device 9.

[0102] The sensor or sensors are connected to the actuators, either directly or indirectly by an electronic entity, and enable the distance between consecutive objects running on the main conveyor path to be minimized, to optimize the collection and/or sorting of objects. The transfer device 9 can therefore operate with a minimal transfer step and thus enable a greater flow of objects on the main conveying path. It should be noted that the sensor(s) described above may be positioned on the transfer device 9, the upstream conveyors 3 and/or the collection conveyors 7 of the conveying installation 1. The said sensors are, for example, cameras, optical readers in cooperation with a barcode, etc.

[0103] In one alternative embodiment, the outer diameter of the drive surfaces of a rotary element 11 varies as a function of the angular position of said element 11 with respect to the transfer path C.sub.T (or C.sub.T′, depending on the use of the device according to the invention) defined by a plurality of rotary elements 11.

[0104] It is, for example, the diameter of the rollers 11b of a rotary element 11 that varies as a function of the angular position of each roller 11b relative to the transfer path C.sub.T or C.sub.T′.

[0105] More particularly, FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view of a transfer device 9 according to this alternative embodiment. It will be noted that the same references are used hereinafter to designate elements similar to those described in the previous embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0106] The transfer device 9 comprises, among other things, a plurality of rotary drive elements 11 including a rotary input element 11E and a rotary output element 11S.

[0107] Thus, the transfer path C.sub.T, defined by a plurality of rotary drive elements 11, has a circular sector of angle β (that is, there is between the axis of the input rotary element and the axis of the output rotary element form an angle β; it should also be noted that the example given is a circular sector but this could be more complex).

[0108] Thus, there is a change in the diameter of the rollers 11b determined by the angle between the rotary input element 11E of the transfer path and the angular position of the roller 11b at said transfer path C.sub.T.

[0109] It will be noted that it is particularly advantageous that the transfer device 9 comprises one or more of the following features: [0110] the input rotary element 11E, that is the element 11 directly downstream of the input conveyor (3 or 7, depending on the use of the transfer device 9), comprises a roll 11a and rollers 11b configured so that the driving speed of the rollers is identical to the speed of the input conveyor (3 or 7); [0111] the rotary output element 11S, that is the element 11 directly upstream of the output conveyor (5 or 7′ depending on the use of the transfer device 9), comprises rollers 11b configured so that the driving speed of the rollers is identical to the speed of the output conveyor (5 or 7′); [0112] the diameter of the rollers 11b of the rotary elements 11, 11′ and 11″ changes as a function of the angle β, more particularly for the rollers located outside of an average path, substantially in the middle of the rollers 11a, the diameter of said rollers 11b increases from 0° to β/2, and decreases from β/2 to β. Conversely, for the rollers located inside this middle path, the diameter of said rollers 11b decreases from 0° to β/2, and then increases from β/2 to β.

[0113] The rollers of the input rotary element 11E may have a diameter identical to the diameter of the rollers of the output rotary element 11S. This is the case, for example, when the input conveyor has the same speed as the output conveyor. However, in other examples, the diameter of the rollers of the input rotary element may be different from the diameter of the rollers of the output rotary element.

[0114] According to the example embodiment in FIG. 5, the angle β is 30°. In other embodiments, the angle β can have values between 0° and 360°, for example 15°, 45°, 60°, 90°, 180°, 270°, etc.

[0115] The diameter of the rollers 11b may depend on at least one or two parameters which are the position of the roller 11 with respect to the center of curvature Ω (as previously explained) and/or the angular position β of the roller with respect to the transfer path C.sub.T.

[0116] Thus, in the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 5, for a rotary element 11′, the diameter of a roller 11b located toward the outside of the transfer path C.sub.T has a larger diameter than a roller 11b located toward the inside of the transfer path C.sub.T.

[0117] Furthermore, for a rotary element 11″ arranged just downstream of the rotary element 11′, for rollers, referenced 11b.sub.2 and 11b.sub.1 respectively, located at substantially the same distance from the center of curvature Ω, the diameter of the roller 11b.sub.2 of the element 11″ is larger than the diameter of the roller 11b.sub.1 of the element 11′. This is because the roller 11b.sub.1 is arranged at an angle β.sub.1, the roller 11b2 is arranged at an angle β.sub.2, and β.sub.1 is less than β.sub.2 (with β.sub.2 less than β/2).

[0118] Thus, for illustrative purposes, since the diameter of the rollers influences the driving speeds of said rollers, the evolution of the diameters as a function of the angle β and its distance from the center of curvature Ω has been shown by arrows, corresponding to the velocity vector generated by each of the rollers.