Method of, and apparatus for, feeding products into containers

Abstract

A method of feeding products into containers, in particular of feeding bags into cartons, wherein at least two different types of products are fed into a container, wherein the products are transported via respective feeding devices, in particular conveyors, in the direction of a device for feeding the products into a container, wherein each type of the products is transported separately by means of a dedicated feeding device, and wherein the conveying speed of the feeding devices is controlled such that, following the feeding devices, the products are present in a sequence which corresponds to the arrangement of the products within the container.

Claims

1. A method of feeding products into containers, wherein at least two different types of products are fed into a container, comprising: a) on feeding devices comprising a plurality of conveyor belts following one after the other in a conveying direction of the products, retaining the products on the conveyor belts by negative pressure created by a vacuum chamber located beneath the conveyor belts; b) transporting the products via the feeding devices in the direction of a device for feeding the products into a container, wherein each type of the products is transported separately by means of a dedicated one of the feeding devices; c) controlling the conveying speed of the feeding devices, whereby the products are presented to a removal conveyor in a sequence which corresponds to a desired arrangement of the products within the container; d) from a final conveyor belt of the conveyor belts of the feeding devices, feeding the products to the removal conveyor, wherein the products are transferred from the each of the feeding devices to the removal conveyor, specifically in accordance with the sequence which corresponds to the desired arrangement of the products within the container, wherein the removal conveyor is formed from a plurality of adjoining conveyor belts on which the products are transported, wherein the removal conveyor is arranged at an essentially equal height level with the final conveyor belt, and wherein the removal conveyor is directed transversely to the feeding devices and correspondingly transports the products away in the direction of the device for feeding the products into the container; and e) using a pusher, pushing the products into the container in the sequence which corresponds to the desired arrangement of the products within the container, wherein the conveying speed of each of the conveyor belts of the feeding devices is controlled individually by a control means whereby the products reach the removal conveyor in the sequence which corresponds to the desired arrangement of the products within the container, wherein the conveying speed of at least one of the conveyor belts of the removal conveyor is controlled by the control means such that groups of products are formed, and wherein distances formed between the groups of products in the conveying direction are greater than those between the products within a group, and wherein the products within a group form a layer or row of products within the container.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising removing excess products from the removal conveyor by pushing the excess products off of the removal conveyor in a region where the products are fed to the removal conveyor.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the excess products are removed from the removal conveyor by a continuation of the conveying movement of the respective feeding device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising feeding the products into the container directly by the feeding devices, wherein the feeding devices, at least in part, are of pivotable design in order to set down the products at an appropriate location in the container.

5. An apparatus for feeding products into containers, wherein at least two different types of products are fed into a container, comprising: a) feeding devices for a respective type of products, for transporting the products in the direction of a device for feeding the products into a container, wherein the feeding devices comprise a plurality of conveyor belts on which the products are transported; b) a vacuum chamber located beneath the conveyor belts for retaining the products on the conveyor belts by negative pressure created by the vacuum chamber; c) a removal conveyor to which the products are fed by the feeding devices, wherein the products are arranged on the removal conveyor in accordance with a sequence which corresponds to a desired arrangement of the products in the container, wherein the removal conveyor is directed transversely to the feeding devices and transports the products in the direction of the device for feeding the products into the container, and wherein the removal conveyor is formed from a plurality of adjoining conveyor belts on which the products are transported; d) a control means for controlling the conveying speed of the conveyor belts of the feeding devices for presenting the products to the removal in the desired sequence which corresponds to the arrangement of the products within the container, wherein the conveying speed of the conveyor belts is influenced by the control means such that the products reach the removal conveyor in a sequence which corresponds to the desired arrangement of the products in the container; e) a pusher for pushing the products into the container in the sequence which corresponds to the desired arrangement of the products within the container, wherein the conveying speed of each of the conveyor belts of the feeding devices is controlled individually by the control means, whereby the products are fed to the removal conveyor in a desired order of the products on the removal conveyor; wherein at least a final conveyor belt of the conveyor belts of the feeding devices and the removal conveyor are arranged at an essentially equal height level, and therefore the products are pushed off of the conveyor belts using the pusher onto the removal conveyor, wherein the conveying speed of at least one of the conveyor belts of the removal conveyor is controlled by the control means such that groups of products are formed, and wherein distances formed between the groups of products in the conveying direction are greater than those between the products within a group, and wherein the products within a group form a layer or row of products within the container.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the feeding devices, at least in part, are of pivotable design in order to set down the products directly in the container at the appropriate position.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the feeding devices are endless conveyors for transferring the products into the container, wherein the products are retained and transported between conveying strands of the endless conveyors, and wherein planes formed by the conveying strands are pivotable in the transporting direction in order to feed the product to the container in accordance with the position of the product in the container.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the feeding devices are pivotable and/or driven independently of one another.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the feeding devices are pivotable and/or driven independently of one another.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained hereinbelow with reference to two preferred exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic, three-dimensional illustration of a first container with different products,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a second container in an illustration according to FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a first variant of an apparatus for feeding products into containers,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a vertical section through the apparatus according to FIG. 3, taken along section line IV-IV in FIG. 3,

(6) FIGS. 5 and 6 show a plan view of the apparatus, in accordance with arrow V and VI, respectively, in FIG. 4, during successive phases of the operation of transporting the products,

(7) FIG. 7 shows a vertical section through the apparatus according to FIG. 3, taken along section line VII-VII in FIG. 3,

(8) FIGS. 8 and 9 show a detail VIII and IX, respectively, of the apparatus according to FIG. 7,

(9) FIG. 10 shows a side view of part of the apparatus in accordance with arrow X in FIG. 7,

(10) FIGS. 11 and 12 show a plan view of the apparatus, in the region XI and XII, respectively, according to FIG. 3, during successive phases of the operation of transporting the products,

(11) FIG. 13 shows a plan view of a second variant of an apparatus for feeding products into containers,

(12) FIG. 14 shows a vertical section through the apparatus according to FIG. 13, taken along section line XIV-XIV, and

(13) FIG. 15 shows a vertical section through the apparatus according to FIG. 13, taken along section line XV-XV.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(14) The invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to apparatuses for feeding bags 10 into cartons 11. Products other than bags 10 can also be fed, in the same way that containers other than cartons 11 come into the equation. Accordingly, the terms bags and cartons are used to represent all the conceivable products and containers.

(15) The invention is concerned with feeding two different types of products A, B into the cartons 11. FIGS. 1 and 2 show two examples of formations of the products A, B in examples of cartons 11.

(16) The products A, B can differ in respect of contents, size, presentation or in respect of other features of the contents or packaging. It is, of course, also conceivable for the products A, B to differ in respect of a number of factors.

(17) Whereas FIG. 1 shows the products A, B in each case arranged separately in rows, FIG. 2 shows a formation of the products A, B in which the products are in a mixed arrangement at least in some of the rows. It is also conceivable for the products A, B to be arranged in a number of layers one above the other.

(18) FIG. 3 shows an overview of a first apparatus for feeding bags 10 into cartons 11. The bags 10 are fed separately by two feeding devices 12, 13, wherein in the present case products A are transported by the feeding device 12 and products B are transported by the feeding device 13.

(19) The products A, B or bags 10 are transported by the feeding devices 12, 13 in the direction of a removal conveyor 14, which in this case is directed transversely, and transferred to the same. For this purpose, a transfer station 15 is provided in the crossover region of the feeding devices 12, 13 and of the removal conveyor 14.

(20) As FIG. 4 shows, the bags 10 or products A, B are transported in a state in which they lie (flat) on the feeding devices 12, 13.

(21) The feeding devices 12, 13 are formed by a plurality of successive, adjoining conveyor belts 16, on which the products A, B or bags 10 lie flat. In the present case, three conveyor belts 16 are arranged one after the other, it also being possible, of course, for the number of conveyor belts 16 to be greater or smaller than this. During transportation, the bags 10 are retained on the conveyor belts 16 by negative pressure. For this purpose, each of the conveyor belts 16 has located beneath it a vacuum chamber 17, with the aid of which the bags 10 can be subjected to negative pressure and thus retained on the conveyor belts 16.

(22) Each conveyor belt 16 can be driven individually by a servomotor 18. The servomotors 18 are controlled by a control means (not shown). The control means makes it possible for the conveying speed of the individual conveyor belts 16 to be regulated individually via the servomotors 18.

(23) Following the three conveyor belts 16 of the feeding device 12, the transfer station 15 contains a further conveyor belt 16, albeit one without a vacuum chamber 17. Above the conveyor belt 16 is the operating region of a pusher 19, by means of which the bags 10 are pushed off transversely onto the removal conveyor 14. In the present case, the pusher 19 is arranged in the form of a driver on an (endless) conveyor 20, which is arranged above the conveyor 16. It is possible, as shown, for a plurality of pushers 19 to be provided on the conveyor 20, each pusher pushing off a respective product A, B.

(24) A special feature resides in the fact that the feeding devices 12, 13 and the removal conveyor 14, or the conveyor belts 16 and the removal conveyor 14, are arranged at an essentially equal height level, and therefore the bags 10 can be pushed off at the same height level. It is therefore not necessary for the bags 10 to be gripped and deposited, and therefore the operation of transporting the bags 10 is a particularly careful one.

(25) In order for it to be possible for the apparatus to be adapted to different bags 10 or different products A, B, funnel-like guide plates 21 are provided in the region of the feeding devices 12, 13, it being possible for said guide plates to center the position of the bags 10 in the conveying direction or in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belts 16. The distance between the guide plates 21 can be adapted in each case by an adjustment motor 22, so that it is possible to process products A, B for example of different widths.

(26) It is also the case that the conveyor 20 with its driver-like pushers 19 is of adjustable design. For this purpose, the conveyor 20 is arranged on a carrying arm 23, which is mounted in a height-adjustable manner. This makes it possible for the apparatus to be adapted to products A, B of different heights or thicknesses.

(27) Furthermore, a height-adjustable stop 24 is arranged at the end of the conveyor belts 16. Products A, B can be ejected as required, as shown schematically in FIG. 4, by being lowered, raised or displaced in some other way.

(28) The apparatus described thus far operates as follows:

(29) In order for it to be possible to fill a container in the manner shown in FIG. 1, three products B and two products A are required in each row or layer. For this purpose, the feeding devices 12, 13, or the conveyor belts 16 thereof, are controlled such that the products A, B reach the final conveyor belt 16 in the appropriate sequence and are pushed off there by the conveyor 20, or the pushers 19 thereof, onto the removal conveyor 14.

(30) In the present case, accordingly, the feeding device 13 is operated such that first of all three products B, and then two products A, pass to the removal conveyor 14. This means that it is usually the case that the feeding device 12 is operated more slowly than the feeding device 13 during the operation of feeding the products B.

(31) In addition, FIG. 5 shows that it is possible for, in this case for example, the products B not to be fed in a sufficient quantity, which can be seen from the large distances between the products B. Normally, in such a situation, the installation would have to be stopped until a sufficient quantity of products B is available again. In the present case, however, the operation of feeding the products A can be slowed down and, at the same time, the speed of the conveyor belts 16 of the feeding device 13 can be accelerated in order to make products B available in good time, this maintaining the sequence of the products A, B on the removal conveyor 14.

(32) If it is not possible to make a sufficient quantity of products B available in good time, it is also conceivable for excess products A to be ejected at the end of the feeding device 12, the stop 24 being pivoted away as shown in FIG. 4. The products A ejected in this way can be fed anew to the feeding device 12.

(33) FIGS. 5 and 6 also show that there are also light barriers 25 for each conveying route provided in the region of the stop 24, in order to detect the presence of products A, B in the region of the conveyor 20.

(34) FIG. 7 shows the continued transporting path of the products A, B on the removal conveyor 14. It can be seen here that it is also the case that the removal conveyor 14 is formed from a plurality of conveyor belts 26, which in turn can be driven individually by servomotors 18. The aim of this measure is to form groups of products A, B, wherein the groups, in the present case, correspond in each case to a row or layer of products A, B in the carton 11. This is done here preferably such that the central conveyor belt 26 of the removal conveyor 14 serves to accelerate the products A, B, in order to generate a distance between successive groups. For this purpose, the corresponding conveyor belt 26 is configured with a vacuum chamber 17.

(35) At the end of the removal conveyor 14, the products A, B are pushed off transversely with the aid of a corresponding pusher 27. The pusher interacts with a special transfer table 28, which is of height-adjustable design.

(36) The products A, B are transferred from the removal conveyor 14 to the transfer table 28. For this purpose, the final conveyor belt 26, as seen in the conveying direction, extends into the region of the transfer table 28. A peripheral deflecting roller 29 is mounted in a horizontally displaceable manner in order for it thus to be possible to fill individual compartments 30, 31 of the transfer table 28. In the present case, the compartments 30, 31 are of different sizes or widths, corresponding to the number of products A, B in a group. First of all the compartment 30 is filled with two products A, and then the deflecting roller 29 is drawn back, in order for it to be possible to deposit the products B in the compartment 31. The products A, B are set down by the conveyor belt 26 here, while the deflecting roller 29 is being drawn back, in imbricated formation.

(37) FIG. 9 shows a variant of the transfer table 28 with just one compartment 30. Such a solution can be used if only one type of product is to be fed into the cartons 11.

(38) FIG. 10 shows how the pusher 27 operates. The pusher 27 is maneuvered over the transfer table 28, which is arranged in a slightly inclined manner here, and therefore the products A, B are pushed out of the compartments 30, 31 into a carton 11 supplied. The carton 11 is supplied by a robot 32 or a gripping arm 33 of the same. As the products A, B are being transferred from the transfer table 28, use is made, in addition, of a retractable and extendable guide plate 34, which is already known from similar apparatuses.

(39) The pusher 27 is mounted on a servo spindle 36 via a plurality of levers 35, so as to ensure that the products A, B are pushed off.

(40) A further detail resides in the fact that the compartments 30, 31 can be closed by shutters 37 on the side oriented toward the carton 11 (FIGS. 11 and 12). This can prevent the situation where products A, B slide undesirably from the transfer table 28 or out of the compartments 30, 31.

(41) The actual operation of feeding the products A, B into a carton 11 functions as follows:

(42) The products A, B are fed on the removal conveyor 14, wherein individually drivable conveyor belts 26 form groups of products A, B each corresponding to a layer or row of products A, B in the carton 11. These groups are then transported from the final conveyor belt 26 to the transfer table 28 and set down there in one of the two compartments 30, 31. During the setting-down operation, the deflecting roller 29 is drawn back, to allow the products A, B to be set down in the compartments 30, 31 from above. Thereafter, the pusher 27 pushes off the products A, B into the carton 11 supplied. For this purpose, the shutters 37 are opened, as shown in FIG. 12.

(43) Following movement of the transfer table 28 and carton 11 relative to one another in the vertical direction, the next row or layer of products A, B can be introduced into the carton 11.

(44) The filled cartons 11 are made ready for being transported away by the robot 32 (FIG. 3). In the present case, there are two robots 32 provided, each handling a carton 11 alternately. The empty cartons 11 are fed by means of a feed conveyor 38.

(45) A second variant of an apparatus for feeding products into containers is shown in FIGS. 13 to 15. In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment, the products A, B, rather than being transferred from the feeding devices 12, 13 to a transversely directed removal conveyor 14, are transported more or less directly into the cartons 11.

(46) In the present case, this is achieved such that, following the conveyor belts 16, the feeding devices 12, 13 are designed for pivoting action by way of the guide plates 21. In this way, the products A, B, as a result of the feed conveyors 12, 13 being pivoted individually, can be set down in accordance with the desired formation of the products A, B in the container or carton 11.

(47) A special feature also resides in the fact that, in the region of this final conveying portion, the products A, B, rather than resting on a conveyor, are retained between two conveying strands. Against this background, the final conveying portion of the feeding devices 12, 13 will be referred to hereinbelow as set-down conveyor 39. The two set-down conveyors 39 can therefore be pivoted and driven individually. In addition, the conveying strands of the set-down conveyors 39 are designed to be twisted along their longitudinal axis, and therefore the bags 10 can be set down in imbricated formation in the carton 11.

(48) Furthermore, a separator 40 can be moved into the carton in order to separate the products A and B from one another. In particular this makes it possible for first of all the products A, B of one type, and then all the products of another type, to be conveyed into the container.

(49) So that it is possible, in this solution, for the products A, B to be arranged not just in one layer or row in the carton 11, but also in a number of layers or rows arranged one above the other, provision is also made for the set-down conveyors 39 to be capable of being pivoted not just in a horizontal plane, but also in a vertical plane.

(50) It is also the case in the second exemplary embodiment that individual control of the conveying speed of the conveyor belts 16 makes it possible, in the region of the feeding devices 12, 13, to control the order in which the products A, B enter the carton 11. Furthermore, it is also the case, in this solution, for possibly excess products A, B to be ejected or removed, for example by means of an ejecting belt, which can be arranged between the two set-down conveyors 39 (not shown in the figures).

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(51) 10 Bag 11 Carton 12 Feeding device 13 Feeding device 14 Removal conveyor 15 Transfer station 16 Conveyor belt 17 Vacuum chamber 18 Servomotor 19 Pusher 20 Conveyor 21 Guide plate 22 Adjustment motor 23 Carrying arm 24 Stop 25 Light barrier 26 Conveyor belt 27 Pusher 28 Transfer table 29 Deflecting roller 30 Compartment 31 Compartment 32 Robot 33 Gripping arm 34 Guide plate 35 Lever 36 Servo spindle 37 Shutter 38 Feed conveyor 39 Set-down conveyor 40 Separator A Product B Product