Installation for automated straightening of a candle wick and associated automated straightening method

Abstract

An apparatus for automatically straightening a candle wick inside a receptacle containing a fusible combustible material in the solidification phase is provided that includes a detection system operable to detect an initial position of the wick inside the receptacle, a movable gripping system operable to grasp and displace the wick, and a control system connected to the detection system to drive it in a detecting manner and receive the initial position. The control system is connected to the gripping system to drive it in a gripping and displacing manner, from a rest configuration to an initial configuration in which the gripping system grasps the wick in its initial position and then to a final configuration in which the gripping system has vertically straightened the wick.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically straightening a plurality of candle wicks inside a plurality of receptacles containing a fusible combustible material in a solidification phase such that a candle wick is inside each of the plurality of receptacles, said apparatus comprising: a straightening station comprising: a detection system comprising a plurality of detectors, the detection system configured to detect an initial position of the candle wick inside each of the plurality of receptacles; a movable gripping system configured to grasp and displace the wick inside and relative to each of the plurality of receptacles and, wherein the movable gripping system comprises at least one clamp attached to a manipulator movable along a vertical direction (Z) and along at least one horizontal direction (X, Y), the clamp adapted to grasp the wick; and a control system connected to said detection system and to said movable gripping system, the control system operable to drive said detection system to detect and receive said initial position of the candle wick inside and relative to each of the plurality of receptacles, and drive said movable gripping system from a rest configuration to an initial configuration in which said movable gripping system grasps the wick when in the initial position and then to a final configuration in which said movable gripping system vertically straightens the wick inside each receptacle; and a spacing unit configured to isolate rows of the plurality of receptacles at an inlet of the straightening station such that spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles are fed to the straightening station.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a system for holding the receptacle in a fixed position during detection by the detection system and during gripping and displacement of the movable gripping system.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable gripping system is equipped with a device for regulating a force exerted vertically on the wick, the device for regulating a force comprising a pressure regulator.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of detectors is selected from the group consisting of a laser range-finder, an ultrasonic range-finder, a radar range-finder, and at least one infrared or visible camera.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the detection system comprises a range-finder movable relative to the receptacle and operable to scan an entire candle for detecting the initial position of the wick.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the range-finder is horizontally movable relative to the receptacle of the candle.

7. A station for automatically straightening wicks of candles disposed in successive rows along a horizontal transverse direction (Y) and conveyed in translation along a horizontal longitudinal direction (X), said station comprising a plurality of automated apparatuses according to claim 1.

8. A candle manufacturing line comprising at least one station according to claim 7.

9. The candle manufacturing line according to claim 8 further comprising at least two stations separated by at least one conveyor for conveying the candles.

10. A method for automatically straightening a plurality of candle wicks inside a plurality of receptacles containing a fusible combustible material in a solidification phase such that a candle wick is inside each of the plurality of receptacles, said method comprising: isolating rows of the plurality of receptacles into rows of receptacles using a spacing unit such that spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles are fed to an inlet of a straightening station; detecting an initial position of the candle wick inside each receptacle of the spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles using a detection system configured to detect an initial position of the candle wick; and grasping the candle wick inside each receptacle of the spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles in the initial position and displacing said candle wick until said candle wick is vertically straight inside each receptacle using a movable gripping system configured to grasp and displace the candle wick inside each receptacle of the spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles, wherein the movable gripping system comprises a plurality of clamps attached to a manipulator movable along a vertical direction (Z) and along at least one horizontal direction (X, Y), the plurality of clamps adapted to grasp a plurality of wicks; wherein a control system is connected to said detection system and to said movable gripping system, the control system operable to drive said detection system to detect and receive said initial position of the candle wick inside each receptacle of the spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles relative to each receptacle, and drive said movable gripping system from a rest configuration to an initial configuration in which said movable gripping system grasps the candle wick inside each receptacle of the spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles when in the initial position and then to a final configuration in which said movable gripping system vertically straightens the wick inside each receptacle.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a candle whose wick is collapsed according to the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a candle whose wick is straightened vertically according to the prior art;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a candle manufacturing line with an automated straightening station framed by two conveyors according to the present disclosure;

(5) FIG. 4 is a an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the automated straightening station of FIG. 3 illustrating detection systems for automated straightening installations in which the detection systems are in an initial configuration at the beginning of the scanning in order to detect the initial positions of the candle wicks according to the present disclosure;

(6) FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, where the detection systems are in an intermediate configuration during the scanning according to the present disclosure;

(7) FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, where the detection systems are in a final configuration at the end of the scanning according to the present disclosure;

(8) FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the automated straightening station of FIG. 3 illustrating detection systems and a gripping system, where the gripping system has left an initial raised configuration and occupies a lowered configuration with its clamp opened according to the present disclosure;

(9) FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 7, where the gripping system is, with its closed clamp, in an initial configuration for grasping a candle wick in its initial collapsed position according to the present disclosure;

(10) FIG. 9 is a view similar to that of FIG. 7, where the gripping system is, with its closed clamp, in a final vertical straightening configuration of the wick according to the present disclosure; and

(11) FIG. 10 is a view similar to that of FIG. 7, where the gripping system is, with its clamp open, returned to an initial raised configuration according to the present disclosure.

(12) The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(13) The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

(14) With reference to FIG. 3, a candle manufacturing line 2 comprises at least one straightening station 3 framed by one or two conveyor(s) 4, for example of the roller conveyor or conveyor belt type, which convey the candles 1 disposed in successive rows along a horizontal transverse direction Y, these rows of candles 1 being conveyed in translation along a horizontal longitudinal direction X orthogonal to the transverse direction Y.

(15) An input conveyor 4 conveys the rows of candles 1 at the inlet of the straightening station 3, and an output conveyor 4 conveys the rows of candles 1 at the outlet of the straightening station 3, or a single conveyor performs this conveying task at the inlet and at the outlet of the straightening station 3.

(16) The candles 1 are as described previously with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the sense that they each comprise a receptacle 10 containing a fusible combustible material 11 and a wick 12 carried by a support 13 placed in the bottom 14 of the receptacle 10. For each wick 1 at the inlet and at the outlet of the straightening station 3, the fusible combustible material 11 is in the solidification phase, in other words the fusible combustible material 11 is still fluid, with the risk of collapse of the wick 12 as described above with reference to FIG. 1.

(17) The straightening station 3 is provided to automatically straighten the collapsed wicks of the incoming candles 1, row by row, in order to output candles 1 having their wicks straightened vertically. Collapse of the wick may occur on all or part of the candles 1 of the processed row in the straightening station 3, or on any of the candles 1 of the processed row.

(18) The straightening station 3 may be preceded by a spacing unit 8 capable of isolating the rows at the inlet of the straightening station 3, such as for example a blade separator, in order to feed the straightening station 3 with rows of candles sufficiently spaced from each other with respect to the duration of operations related to the straightening of the wicks.

(19) The straightening station 3 includes a system for aligning the processed row of candles 1, otherwise called row aligner, which forms a system for holding each candle receptacle 1 in a fixed position in alignment along the transverse direction Y, during all the operations related to the straightening of the wicks.

(20) For the straightening of the wicks, the straightening station 3 comprises several automated straightening installations/apparatuses 5, and particularly a straightening installation/apparatus 5, every two candles 1 in the row, namely N straightening installations 5 for rows of 2N candles 1.

(21) In a more expensive variant offering a shorter processing time, the straightening station 3 comprises as many straightening installations 5 as candles 1 in a row. In a less expensive variant offering a higher processing time, the straightening station 3 comprises a straightening installation 5 every three candles 1 in the row, or even every four candles or more.

(22) With reference to FIGS. 4 to 10, a straightening installation 5 comprises at least one detection system 6 able to detect an initial position of the wick 12 inside the receptacle 10 of a candle 1. This initial position corresponds to the position of the wick 12 before the operations related to the straightening, and the initial position may correspond to an undesired collapsed position or to a desired vertically erected position. It should be noted that the number of detection systems 6 may be different from the number of straightening installations 5 inside a straightening station 3.

(23) In the example of FIGS. 4 to 10, the detection system 6 comprises an obstacle detector of the laser range-finder type 60 that is movable along the transverse direction Y (in other words parallel to the row of candles 1) and placed in a raised manner relative to the receptacles 10 of the candles 1, in order to scan the entire candle for detecting the initial position of the wick 12.

(24) Alternatively, the laser range-finder 60 is stationary and the candle 1 is movable along the transverse direction Y. In another variant, the detection system 6 comprises one or more infrared or visible camera(s), whose images will be the subject of a video processing to determine the initial position of the wick 12 relative to the receptacle 10.

(25) In the illustrated example, the laser range-finder 60 is movable along the transverse direction Y over a distance provided to allow the laser range-finder 60 to scan the entirety of two neighboring candles 1 in the row (or even more, depending on the number of laser range-finders 60 provided in the straightening station 3).

(26) During the operation of detecting the initial position of the wick 12, the laser range-finder 60 moves along the transverse direction Y by emitting a laser beam 61 directed along the longitudinal direction X. When the laser beam 61 cuts the wick 12 (which forms an obstacle for the laser beam 61), the transverse coordinate along the direction Y of the wick 12 is directly deduced, and the wick in turn returns the light ray and the laser range-finder 60 calculates the phase shift between the emission and the reception in order to deduce therefrom the longitudinal coordinate along the direction X of the wick 12. The initial position of the wick 12 thus corresponds to the combination of these transverse and longitudinal coordinates.

(27) With reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, the laser range-finder 60 starts the operation of detecting the initial position of the wick 12 of a candle 1, from a starting situation (as illustrated in FIG. 4) in which the laser beam 61 passes on one side (for example on the left) of the candle 1, then is displaced in translation along the transverse direction Y, until the laser beam 61 scans the candle 1 and cuts the wick 12 (as illustrated in FIG. 5), and ends the detection operation in an end situation (as illustrated in FIG. 6), in which the laser beam 61 passes on the other side (for example on the right) of the candle 1.

(28) Referring to FIGS. 7 to 10, a straightening installation 5 further comprises a movable gripping system 7 able to grasp and displace the wick 12 relative to the receptacle 10, in order to straighten vertically at the center of the receptacle 10, from the initial position detected by the detection system 6 during the detection operation described above. For the sake of clarity, in FIGS. 7 to 10, only a gripping system 7 of a straightening installation 5 is illustrated, the gripping systems 7 of the neighboring straightening installations 5 not being drawn.

(29) Between the detection operation and the straightening operation implemented by the gripping system 7, each candle 1 (or row of candles 1) remains stationary. In one variant, it is conceivable that each candle 1 (or row of candles 1) is displaced along the longitudinal direction X either by a given step in order to place the candle 1 (or row of candles 1) below the gripping system, or continuously without interruption of the displacement of the candles 1.

(30) The gripping system 7 comprises a clamp 70 adapted to grasp the wick 12 and attached to a manipulator 71 movable along a vertical direction Z and along the transverse direction Y and/or along the longitudinal direction X.

(31) In the example shown, the clamp 70 is positioned directly above the receptacle 10 along a rest configuration (as illustrated in FIG. 7) and has a width equivalent to or even greater than the thickness of the wick 12, and the manipulator is movable along the vertical direction Z and also along both the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y in order to be able to precisely make the clamp grasp the wick 2, then move the clamp at the center of the receptacle and finally raise the clamp along the vertical direction Z to vertically straighten the wick 12 at the center of the receptacle 10.

(32) In a first variant not shown, the clamp is positioned directly above the receptacle 10 and has a width equivalent to or greater than the dimension of the receptacle along the longitudinal direction X (in other words its diameter if the receptacle is cylindrical), and when the clamp is closed, it defines a clamping line parallel to the longitudinal direction X and located in a median plane (or central plane) of the receptacle 10 along the longitudinal direction X. Thus, when the clamp is closed and has grasped the wick 12, it is then sufficient to displace the clamp 70 along the longitudinal direction X for replacing the wick 12 at the center, then to raise the clamp along the vertical direction Z for vertically straightening the wick 12 at the center of the receptacle 10. In this first variant, the manipulator is movable along the vertical direction Z and along the longitudinal direction X. However, if this clamp is to be used for another neighboring wick 1 in the row, the manipulator must also be movable along the transverse direction Y in order to be able to bring it over this other candle 1.

(33) In a second variant not shown, the clamp is positioned directly above the receptacle 10 and has a width equivalent to or even greater than the dimension of the receptacle along the transverse direction Y (in other words, its diameter if the receptacle is cylindrical), and when the clamp is closed on the wick in the initial position, it defines a clamping line parallel to the transverse direction Y and is located in a median plane (or central plane) of the receptacle along this transverse direction. Thus, when the clamp is closed and has grasped the wick, it is then sufficient to move the clamp along the transverse direction Y for replacing the wick 12 at the center, then to raise the clamp along the vertical direction Z for vertically straightening the wick at the center of the receptacle before opening the clamp. In this second variant, the manipulator is movable along the vertical direction Z and along the transverse direction Y. This mobility along the transverse direction Y thus allows bringing the clamp 70 above another neighboring candle 1 in the row.

(34) For the vertical displacement of the manipulator 71, and therefore of the clamp 70, the manipulator 71 may comprise a pneumatic cylinder 72 advantageously equipped with a pressure regulator allowing to regulate the force exerted vertically on the wick 12 when the clamp 70 is closed on the wick 12 and pulls it vertically.

(35) For the transverse and/or longitudinal displacement of the manipulator 71, the manipulator 71 may comprise a single-axis or bi-axis, or tri-axis or multi-axis motorized electrical system 73.

(36) In a non-illustrated variant, the manipulator 71 is a tri-axis or multi-axis robotic manipulator, so that the gripping system 7 forms a three-dimensional robotic clamp.

(37) In order to drive the straightening installations 5, the straightening station 3 comprises a control system (not shown), in particular of the microcontroller, processor or computer terminal type, which is connected to each detection system 6 and to each gripping system 7, so that the control system provides the following sequences:

(38) driving each detection system 6 (driving in a triggering manner of the laser beam 61 and driving in a displacing manner);

(39) receiving the measurement of the initial position of the wick relative to the receptacle made by each detection system 6; and

(40) depending on each measurement, candle by candle, driving in a gripping manner (opening/closing of the clamp 70) and in a displacing manner (displacement of the manipulator 71), from a rest configuration to an initial configuration in which the clamp 70 grasps the wick in its initial position and then to a final configuration in which the clamp 70 has vertically straightened the wick at the center of the receptacle 10.

(41) Of course, the example implementation mentioned above is not restrictive and other improvements and details can be brought to the straightening installation, to the straightening station and to the manufacturing line, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure where other types of gripping means can for example be made instead of a clamp and/or other types of contactless detection means can for example be made instead of a laser range-finder.

(42) The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.