AUTOMATED CONVEYING DEVICE

Abstract

An automated conveying device for tablet-shaped products, for example confectionery products, pharmaceutical tablets or capsules, includes a line-forming conveyor belt, on which the tablet-shaped products are stored in separate lines transversely to a conveying direction of the conveyor belt and are transported in the conveying direction, as well as a feeding device, which is arranged at a first end of the conveyor belt for feeding the tablet-shaped products on the conveyor belt, and a filling device, which is arranged at a second end opposite the first end of the conveyor belt, by which the tablet-shaped products can be transferred from the conveyor belt into a filling container. The automated conveying device also includes an optical detection device for the automated detection of individual tablet-shaped products on the conveyor belt. The feeding device has a track-forming separation device, b which the tablet-shaped products are fed in a plurality of tracks next, to one another onto the upper side of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt can include at least in the region of the feed opening of the feeding device an alignment rising upwardly in the conveying direction.

Claims

1. Automated conveying device for tablet-like products, comprising a row-harming conveyor belt on which the tablet-like products are stored in mutually separated rows transversely to a conveying direction of the conveyor belt and are transported in the conveying direction, a feeding device, arranged at a first end of the conveyor belt, for feeding the tablet-like products onto the conveyor belt, an optical capture means for automated capture of individual tablet-like products on the conveyor belt, and a filling device arranged at a second end of the conveyor belt that is opposite the first end, by cans of which the tablet-like products can be transferred from the conveyor belt into a filling container.

2. Automated conveying device according to claim 1, the feeding device comprises a feeding opening that adjoins an upper face of the conveyor belt and extends transversely to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt and through which the tablet-like products can be fed onto the upper face of the conveyor belt.

3. Automated conveying device according to claim 2, the feeding device comprises a track-forming separation device by means of which the tablet-like products are fed side-by-side, in a plurality of tracks, onto the upper face of the conveyor belt.

4. Automated conveying device, according to claim 3, the track-forming separation device comprises a plurality of separation elements that are arranged transversely to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt and are oriented in the conveying direction.

5. Automated conveying device according to claim 1, the feeding device comprises a layer separation means in the region of the feeding opening, which prevents feeding of tablet-like products arranged on top of one another, onto the conveyor belt, through the feeding opening.

6. Automated conveying device according to claim 1, the conveyor belt has an orientation that rises upwards in the conveying direction, at least in the region of the feeding opening of the feeding device.

7. Automated conveying device according to claim 1, the optical capture means comprises at least one optical recording means that is arranged transversely to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt and extends over a conveying width of the conveyor belt.

8. Automated conveying device according to claim 7, the optical capture means comprises at least one further optical recording means or a mirror device arranged laterally beside the conveyor belt, which allows for optical capture, of the tablet-like products, conveyed on the conveyor belt, from a lateral viewing angle.

9. Automated conveying device according to claim 7, the at least one optical recording means comprises at least one row-like or matrix-like imaging sensor (19).

10. Automated conveying device according to claim 1, the conveyor belt comprises a roller belt having rotatably mounted rollers that are oriented transversely to the conveying direction and are arranged so as to be spaced apart in the conveying direction, wherein a spacing between two adjacent rollers is less than a smallest diameter of the tablet-like products to be conveyed.

11. Automated conveying device according to claim 10, the rollers can be driven in a direction of rotation, during a conveying movement of the conveyor belt, such that a rotational movement of the rollers causes the tablet-like products arranged thereon to perform a rotational movement in the opposite direction.

12. Automated conveying device according to claim 11, the optical recording means is configured and arranged such that the tablet-like products that are moved on the conveyor belt, in the conveying direction, and are caused to perform a rotational movement, are optically recorded for a sufficiently long recording time in order for it to be possible to make an optical recording of the tablet-like products that extends over the entire periphery.

13. Automated conveying device according to claim 1, the automated conveying device comprises a counter, by means of which the tablet-like products conveyed on the conveyor belt are counted.

14. Automated conveying device according to claim 1, a separation device is arranged after the optical capture means, in the conveying direction, by means of which separation device individual tablet-like products can be, separated from the conveyor belt, wherein the separation device may comprise an associated separation element for each track of tablet-like products formed on the conveyor belt.

15. Automated conveying device according to claim 1, the filling device comprises a suitable portioning means for each of the tracks of tablet-like products conveyed on the conveyor belt.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Embodiments for a configuration according to the invention of an automated conveying device will be described in greater detail in the following, which embodiments as shown by way of example in the drawings. In the drawings:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment according to the invention of an automated conveying device,

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an automated conveying device, likewise according to the invention, of a different configuration,

[0031] FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of a detail of the conveyor belt of the automated conveying device, which conveyor belt is formed as a roller belt,wherein a plurality of tablet-like products are arranged on the roller belt,

[0032] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a detail of the conveyor belt, wherein individual rows are formed by the rollers of the roller belt, which are arranged so as to be spaced apart, in each of which rows three tablet-like products are arranged side-by-side and form three tracks of tablet-like products, directed in the conveying direction, on the conveyor belt,

[0033] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of a feeding, device for feeding individual tablet-like products onto the conveyor belt,

[0034] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross section through an interior of the feeding device comprising a track-forming separation device,

[0035] FIG. 7 is a cross section through the conveyor belt in the region of a separation device, and

[0036] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross section through an interior of the feeding device comprising a track-forming separation device that consists of or comprises a plurality of guide elements arranged directly over the conveyor belt, and that is configured in a manner deviating from the track-forming separation device shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] An automated conveying device 1, shown schematically in a side view in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a conveyor belt 3 that revolves continuously around three deflection rollers 2. A feeding device 5 for feeding tablet-like products 6 onto an upper face 7 of the conveyor belt 3 is arranged at a first end 4 of the conveyor belt 3. In this case, a large number of tablet-like products 6 are located in an interior 8 of the feeding device 5, which products, owing to the side walls 9 that surround the interior 8 on three sides, can be fed onto the conveyor belt 3 and conveyed further only through a slotted recess 10, wherein the slotted recess 10 is formed in a side wall 12 of the feeding device 5 that faces in a conveying direction 11 of the conveyor belt 3.

[0038] The conveyor belt 3 is a row-forming conveyor belt 3, and therefore a plurality of tablet-like products 6 are arranged side-by-side, transversely to the conveying direction 11, in a row 13 specified by the conveyor belt 3. The individual rows 13 are also formed by rollers 14 arranged transversely to the conveying direction 11, which rows can have a mutual spacing in the conveying direction 11 that is less than a smallest diameter of the tablet-like products 6. The rollers 14 arranged on a flexible conveyor belt 15 are rotatably mounted and can be caused to rotate by means of a suitable drive mechanism. Rotation of adjacent rollers 14 of the conveyor belt 3 in the same direction also causes the tablet-like products 6 that are arranged thereon in a row-like manner to perform a rotational movement in the opposite direction (FIG. 3). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the rows 13 of the tablet-like products 6 arranged between two adjacent rollers 14 comprise three tablet-like products 6 that are arranged side-by-side and that accordingly form three tracks 16 of successive tablet-like products 6 in the conveying direction 11.

[0039] The tablet-like products 6 that are arranged on the conveyor belt 3 in a row-like and track-like, and thus matrix-like, manner are conveyed past, under an optical capture means 17, by the conveyor belt 3. In the embodiment shown by way of example, the optical capture means 17 comprises two illumination devices 18 and a row-like CMOS camera 19. Both the illumination devices 18 and the CMOS camera 19 extend over a conveying width of the conveyor belt 3 and are oriented transversely to the conveying direction 11. The optical capture means 17 can count the tablet-like products 6 conveyed past said capture means on the conveyor belt 3. Furthermore, appropriate evaluation of the imaging information recorded by the CMOS camera 19 makes it possible to perform an optical check and to monitor whether the individual tablet-like products 6 meet specified criteria, for example with respect to the shaping thereof and the coloring thereof. The rotational movement of the rollers 14 also causes the tablet-like products 6 to rotate, such that the CMOS camera 19 can record and monitor the tablet-like products from all sides.

[0040] A separation device 20 is arranged after the optical capture means 17, in the conveying direction 11. The separation device 20 shown by way of example in FIG. 7 comprises a separate suction device 21 for each track 16, which suction device can suction and remove from the conveyor belt 3, in accordance with the quality check performed by the optical capture means 17, the individual tablet-like products 6 which are conveyed past, under the separation device 20, by the conveyor belt 3. The separation device 20 is shown by way of example in FIG. 7.

[0041] Following the separation device 20 a filling device 23 is arranged at a second end 22 of the conveyor belt 3, by means of which filling device a filling container 24, provided there, can be filled with a specified number of tablet-like products 6. The filling device 23 comprises a portioning means (not shown in greater detail), by means of which the filling container 24 associated in each case can be filled with a specified quantity of to products 6. In this case, each individual track 16 is assigned a flap or distribution mechanism. By means of a pivoting flap that can be actuated and pivoted by a controller of the portioning means, or by means of a closure slide 25, for example, it is possible to switch from filling a filling container 24 that is currently full, to filling a filling container 24 that is to be filled next, such that, in the case of a continuously revolving conveyor belt 3, each individual filling container 24 can be filled with the specified number of quantity of tablet-like products (L It is also possible for the flap or distribution mechanisms of a plurality of tracks 16 to be combined in order to fill one filling container 24, respectively, and for the tablet-like products 6 of a plurality of tracks 16 to be combined.

[0042] FIGS. 5 and 6 show various embodiments of the feeding device 5, by way of example. A screen 26 that is arranged in the side wall 12, directly above the slotted recess 10, and is angled towards the inside, forms a layer separation means which achieves the effect whereby only a layer of tablet-like products 6, arranged in the rows 13 and in the tracks 16, that is resting directly on the upper face 7 of the conveyor belt 3 can leave the interior 8 of the feeding device 5, on the conveyor belt 3. All products 6 arranged on top of one another, above said first layer, are retained by the screen 26, in this case, the screen 26 is arranged in a height-adjustable manner, above the slotted recess 10, on the side wall 12 of the feeding device 5, in order to allow for simple adjustment to tablet-like products 6 of different sizes. The row-like arrangement of a plurality of tablet-like products 6 side-by-side on the conveyor belt 3 can be specified and promoted by a suitable configuration of the conveyor belt 3. As a result, the conveyor belt 3 can, as shown by way of example in FIG. 3 to 7, consist of or comprise,a roller belt comprising a plurality of rollers 14 that are arranged side-by-side and that are rotatably mounted on a flexible conveyor belt 15. In addition, a rotatably mounted brush roller 27 can optionally be arranged and driven in the interior 8 of the feeding device 5 such that only the layer of tablet-like products 6 that rests directly on the conveyor belt 3, in the individual rows 13, can emerge from the feeding device 5 unimpeded and be conveyed by the conveyor belt 3, while tablet-like products 6 located thereabove are removed by the brush roller 27 and retained;in the interior 8 of the feeding container 5.

[0043] The track-like arrangement of the tablet-like products 6 arranged side-by-side in a row 13 can be specified by means of a suitable, track-forming separation device 28. In the embodiment shown by way of example in FIG. 6, the separation device 28 is formed of a plurality of circular discs 29 that are rotatably mounted on a shaft 30 and divide the interior 8 of the feeding device 5, which is delimited by the external side walls 9, into five tracks 16. A rotational movement of the circular discs 29 arranged on the shaft 30 specifies and promotes the track-like arrangement of the tablet-like products 6 on, the conveyor belt 3. Instead of the rotating circular discs 29, it is also possible for guide plates or partition elements to be arranged in a stationary manner in the interior 8, in the feeding device 5, which plates or elements protrude directly as far as the upper face 7 of the conveyor belt 3 and divide the tablet-like products 6, which are initially arranged in a disordered manner in the interior 8 of the feeding device 5, into individual tracks 16 and position said products accordingly on the conveyor belt 3. FIG. 8 shows, by way of example, a separation device 28 in the interior 8 of the feeding device 5, which separation device is configured in a manner deviating from that in FIG. 6. The track formation of the individual tracks 16 of tablet-like products 6 is achieved by prism-shaped guide elements 31 having a triangular cross sectional area, which guide elements extend in the conveying direction 11. In each case just one individual tablet-like product 6 can rest on the conveyor belt 3 and be conveyed by the conveyor belt 3, between two adjacent guide elements 31 arranged transversely to the conveying direction 11.

[0044] Guide elements 31 of this kind can also be arranged along the conveyor path of the conveyor belt 3 so as to be spaced apart from the feeding device 5, in order to bring about another check and, if necessary, orientation of the individual tracks 16 of tablet-like products 6 on the conveyor belt 3. The upper faces 32 of the guide elements 31 facing the tablet-like products 6 may be mirrored, such that a reflection of end caps 33 of the tablet-like products 6 oriented transversely to the conveying direction 11 can be projected upwards and recorded by an optical recording means 19 arranged thereabove, in order for it to be possible to also check and monitor the laterally arranged end caps 33 of the table-like products 6.