Diverting apparatus with Coanda stabilizing device

Abstract

The apparatus for diverting objects such as containers, bundles, packages, which are conveyed on a transport apparatus, comprises a first transport device, on which the objects are transported in a single row, a second transport device, which is arranged to the side of the first transport device, and a diverting device, which is provided on one side of the transport apparatus and by means of which an object to be diverted is diverted from the first transport device onto the second transport device. The apparatus furthermore comprises a rail, which is provided on a side of the transport apparatus situated opposite the diverting device, and a device for generating an air jet, wherein the device for generating the air jet is configured such that the air jet which is generated runs parallel to the rail.

Claims

1. An apparatus for diverting objects, such as containers, cases, packages, which are conveyed on a transport apparatus, with a first transport device, on which the objects are transported in a single row, with a second transport device, which is arranged on the side of the first transport device, with a diverting device, which is provided on one side of the transport apparatus and with which an object to be diverted is diverted from the first transport device onto the second transport device, and with a rail, which is provided on a side of the transport apparatus situated opposite the diverting device, characterized by a device for generating an air jet, wherein the device for generating the air jet is configured such that the generated air jet runs parallel to the rail, and wherein the device for generating an air jet comprises at least one nozzle, which is provided at the rail upstream from the diverting device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air flow onto the objects to be diverted produces a force in the direction of the rail.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air jet is generated by a compressed-air generator and is aligned parallel to the rail via a compressed-air line with a nozzle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air jet runs parallel to the rail and in a transport direction of the objects.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rail has a hollow profile, through which the air jet is conducted, and wherein the rail has at least one opening, through which the air jet exits substantially parallel to the rail.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air jet runs parallel to the rail and at a predefined angle relative to a transport plane defined by the transport devices.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second transport device runs substantially parallel to the first transport device upstream in the conveyor direction and deviates from the first transport device at an optionally adjustable angle in the area of the diverting device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diverting device comprises a row of diverting segments, and wherein the individual diverting segments together form a continuous deflecting surface.

9. A method for diverting objects, such as containers, cases, packages, which are conveyed on a transport apparatus, with a first transport device, on which the objects are transported in a single row, a second transport device, which is arranged on a side of the first transport device, with a diverting device, which is provided on one side of the transport apparatus and with which an object to be diverted is diverted from the first transport device onto the second transport device, with a rail, which is provided on the side of the transport apparatus situated opposite the diverting device, characterized in that a device for generating an air jet is provided, wherein the device for generating the air jet is configured such that the generated air jet runs parallel to the rail, and wherein the device for generating an air jet comprises at least one nozzle, which is provided at the rail upstream from the diverting device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Various embodiments are illustrated in the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a top view of a diverting apparatus with a rectilinear first transport device and a curved second transport device;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross section of the second transport device in the diversion area;

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross sections of different rail profiles;

(5) FIG. 4 is a top view of a further diverting apparatus, wherein the air jet extends at an angle relative to the transport plane;

(6) FIG. 5 is a side view of the diverting apparatus with rail and diagonally running air jet according to FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 6 is a cross section of the second transport device according to FIG. 4 in the diversion area;

(8) FIG. 7 is a top view of a diverting apparatus with a rectilinear first transport device and a second transport device running parallel thereto; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a diverting apparatus according to FIG. 7 with a pusher as diverting device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) FIG. 1 shows a diverting apparatus according to an embodiment. The diverting apparatus forms a diverting deflector 10 for empty plastic bottles. The diverting deflector 10 comprises a first rectilinearly running transport device 12, on which bottles 18 are transported in the direction of the arrow X. The bottles 18 are shifted from the first transport device 12 onto a second transport device 16 by means of a diverting device 14. The second transport device 16 runs parallel to the first transport device 12 in a section located upstream of the diverting device 14, and branches off from the first transport device 12 at an angle of 30 in a section located downstream of the diverting device 14.

(11) The diverting device 14 is provided on the side of the first transport device 12, namely on the side situated opposite the second transport device 16. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 the diverting device 14 consists of a plurality of individual segments 14a, which together form a continuous deflecting surface.

(12) A rail 20 curved in sections which runs through the diverting apparatus along the transport path of the bottles 18 to be diverted is provided opposite the diverting apparatus. This rail 20 at first extends parallel along the first transport device 12. In the area of the diverting device 14 the rail 20 is designed curved and follows the transport path of the bottles 18 to be diverted. At the end of the diverting apparatus the rail 20 then runs on the side of the second transport device 16. The rail 20 serves to guide and stabilize the diverted bottles 18.

(13) The diverting deflector 10 furthermore comprises a compressed-air generator 22 for generating an air jet 24, which runs along the rail 20. In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, for this purpose, ambient air is blown via a compressed-air hose 26 and a correspondingly arranged nozzle 28 in the transport direction along the inner side of the rail 20.

(14) Because of the Coanda effect, the air jet 24 follows the convex course of the rail 20 at all times. This means that the air jet 24 continues along the surface of the rail 20 even when the rail 20 describes a curve and follows the transport path of the bottles 18 to be diverted through the diverting apparatus. The air jet 24 thus, starting from the nozzle 28, does not run in a straight line, but follows the bent course of the rail 20.

(15) The air jet has a stabilizing effect on the diverted bottles 18. On the one hand, the air jet 24 forms an air cushion between the bottles 18 and the rail 20, and thus absorbs any collisions between the bottles 18 and the rail 20. On the other hand, the air jet 24 has the effect, because of the Coanda effect, that at the same time the bottles 18 experience a pulling force in the direction of the rail 20. This pulling force and the air cushion generated by the air jet 24 ensure that the bottles 18 are guided safely along the rail 20. The bottles 18 are thereby largely prevented from tipping over during the diversion process.

(16) The nozzle 28 is provided on the rail 20 upstream of the diverting device 14. The bottles 18 thereby already come into contact with the air jet 24 before the diverting device. A stabilizing of the bottles 18 during the entire diversion process can thereby be achieved.

(17) In the embodiment represented in FIG. 1, the rail 20 for guiding the air jet 24 is formed as a hollow profile, which has a continuous opening to the transport area.

(18) To generate the air jet 24, in this embodiment, the nozzle 28 of the compressed-air line 26 can open into the inside of the hollow profile of the rail 20. The air jet 24 then runs inside the profile along the rail 20 and also extends through the continuous opening 30 outside the profile parallel to the rail 24. There, the air jet 24 then also flows past the bottles 18 and generates the above-described stabilizing effect on the bottles 18. This embodiment has the advantage that the air jet 24 can never be completely shielded by the bottles 18. If several bottles 18 are diverted directly one behind another, the air jet 24 thus acts on all preceding and already diverted bottles 18.

(19) A cross section of the diverting area of FIG. 1 is depicted in FIG. 2. The diverted bottle 18 is guided on the second transport device 16 between the rail 20 and an opposite rail 20a. The rail 20 is formed by a hollow profile, more precisely by a C profile. The C profile has a continuous slit or a continuous opening 30 on the side 20a of the rail 20 facing the transport area. The rail depicted in FIG. 2 has a size of approximately 5 cm1 cm. The continuous slit has a width of approximately 4 cm.

(20) A compactor customary in the trade can be used to generate the air jet. For example, this can be a compactor with a power of 1.5 kW with a quantity of blowing air of 70 m.sup.3/h at 400 mbar.

(21) The rail 20 can also have other profiles. Alternative rail profiles are depicted in FIG. 3. Besides the already described hollow profile, such as is depicted in FIG. 3c, a rail with a rectangular profile according to FIG. 3a or a rounded profile according to FIG. 3b can also be used.

(22) In the embodiments represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 the air jet 24 runs substantially in the transport direction and parallel along the inner side of the rail 20. The stabilizing effect can, however, also be achieved with an air jet 24 which runs substantially parallel to the rail plane, but at a predefined angle with respect to the transport plane.

(23) Such an embodiment is represented in FIGS. 4 to 6. A diverting deflector 10 is likewise depicted in FIG. 4, in which the second transport device 16 describes a curve, and branches off at an angle of 30 relative to the first transport device 12. The diverting device again consists of a plurality of individual segments 14a, which together form a continuous deflecting surface.

(24) The stabilizing air jet 24 is generated by means of several nozzles 28. As represented in FIG. 5, the nozzles 28 are arranged above the rail 20 at an angle of approximately 40 in relation to the transport plane. In this embodiment the air jets 24 are likewise guided between the bottles 18 and the rail 20 on the inner side of the rail 20. Although the air jet 24 interacts with the bottles 18 only in a relatively short area, this area can be lengthened as required through the arrangement of several nozzles 28 spaced apart from each other.

(25) The rail profile in this case, as represented in FIG. 6, is rounded on the inner side 20a, wherein the air jets 24 again follow the curvature of the inner side 20a of the rail 20 because of the Coanda effect.

(26) As the component of the air jet 24 running in the transport direction is smaller in this embodiment, the acceleration of the bottles caused by the air jet 24 is likewise greatly reduced.

(27) In the realization of the diverting apparatus according to the disclosure, the angles , and the speed of the air jet 24 can be adapted to the respective transport task and can be set depending on the transport devices 12, 16 used and the properties of the bottles 18 to be diverted.

(28) A further embodiment of the diverting apparatus 10 according to the disclosure is depicted in FIG. 7. This apparatus substantially corresponds to the apparatus such as is depicted in FIG. 1. However, in FIG. 7 the bottles 18 to be diverted are pushed onto a second transport device 16 which runs parallel to the first transport device 12. In this case too, the stabilizing action of the air jet 24 can be advantageously utilized, as the air jet 24 also follows the curvature of the lateral rail 20 in this case.

(29) The embodiment represented in FIG. 8 substantially corresponds to the apparatus such as is depicted in FIG. 7. Again, the bottles 18 to be diverted are pushed onto a second transport device 16 which runs parallel to the first transport device 12. In FIG. 7, however, the diverting device 14 is formed by a pusher, which comprises a position-controlled linear drive. Bottles 18 to be diverted are shifted from the first transport device 12 onto the second transport device 16 with the pusher.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(30) 10 diverting deflector 12 first transport device 14 diverting device 14a diverting segments 16 second transport device 18 bottles 20 rail 20a rail inner side 21 rail 22 compressed-air generator 24 air jet 26 compressed-air hose 28 nozzle 30 rail opening