Unloading device featuring vacuum suction

Abstract

An unloading device (10) for a product handling device, having a transfer plate (12) for transferring a plurality of rows arranged one after the other, each row having a plurality of treated products (14), onto a conveying apparatus (16) is characterized in that a suctioning section (18) having suction ports (20) for suctioning the products onto the suctioning section (18) is arranged between the transfer plate (12) and the conveying apparatus (16).

Claims

1. A method for conveying treated products with an unloading device, comprising: conveying the treated products in a plurality of rows arranged one after the other in a transfer direction along a transfer plate of the unloading device, wherein the products of adjacent rows are arranged offset to one another, the unloading device having the transfer plate for transferring the plurality of rows arranged one after the other onto a conveying apparatus, each row having a plurality of the products, wherein a suctioning section having suction ports for suctioning the products onto the suctioning section is arranged between the transfer plate and the conveying apparatus; supplying the products via the suctioning section along the transfer direction, to the conveying apparatus, which conveys the products in a conveying direction transverse to the transfer direction; and suctioning with the suction ports the products of at least an entire product row onto the suctioning section of the unloading device.

2. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the suctioning step occurs such that only products in a front-most product row are carried along by the conveying apparatus, while products in a next row are retained on the suctioning section by the suctions ports.

3. The method of claim 2, characterized in that the plurality of rows are advanced along the conveying direction and the front-most product row is conveyed along the conveying direction in an alternating manner, while the vacuum suction through the suction ports is continuous.

4. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the conveying apparatus permits slow and fast conveying speeds of up to 600 products per minute.

5. The method of claim 1, characterized in that, for cleaning the suctioning section and/or a suctioning chamber of the unloading device, the transfer plate is moved into a cleaning position above the suctioning section.

Description

(1) An exemplary embodiment of the invention shall be explained in greater detail, using the figures, in the following.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective elevation;

(3) FIG. 2 is a detail according to the arrow II in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a detail view from the direction of the arrow III in FIG. 1 in the loaded condition;

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic view from the direction of the arrow IV in FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 is a section along the line V-V in FIG. 1; and,

(7) FIG. 6 is a section along the line VI-VI in FIG. 1.

(8) The transfer plate 12 of the unloading device 10 is embodied in the conventional manner, such as is described, for instance, in DE 10 2008 020 705 A1. The products depicted in FIG. 3 in the form of product containers are conveyed along the transfer direction 26 in that a pusher 28 pushes against the rear-most product row 30. Because of this, the front-most product row 32 is pushed across the suctioning section 18 onto the conveyor belt 38 of the conveying apparatus 16. The next product row 34, which is arranged immediately behind the front-most row 32, is suctioned onto the suctioning section 18 via the suction ports 20. The bottoms of the product containers/products 14 are suctioned from below. The conveying apparatus 16 conveys the front-most product row 32 along a conveying direction 36 arranged transverse to the transfer direction 26.

(9) The suction ports 20 are arranged on the suctioning section 18 in two successively arranged rows. The rows of the suction ports 20 are arranged parallel to the conveying direction 36 and transverse to the transfer direction 26 and each extend across the entire width of the suctioning section 18 and transfer plate 12. The suction ports 20 of adjacent rows are arranged offset to one another. The diameter d of each suction port 20 is about 3 mm. The distance a between adjacent suction ports 20 in a row is approximately 5 mm. The distance a extends from the edge of the one suction port to the edge of the adjacent suction port 20. The two rows of suction ports are arranged at a distance A of approximately 1.1 mm from one another. The distance A extends towards the transfer direction 26 between the edges of the suction ports 20. The distance B between the edges of the front-most row of suction ports 20 to the edge of the conveying apparatus 16 is approximately 6.5 mm.

(10) The suctioning section 18, with the suction ports 20, is the surface of a suctioning device 22 in the form of a bar having an inner suction chamber 40 that is connected to the suction ports 20. On the bottom side opposing the suctioning section 18, the suctioning device 22 has vacuum connectors 24 that are connected to a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump then generates a vacuum in the suction chamber 40 in order to suction the products 14 onto the suctioning section 18 using the suction ports 20. The suction chamber 40 with the vacuum connectors 24 is depicted in the step in accordance with FIG. 5. The suctioning device is preferably provided with three vacuum connectors 24 that are arranged distributed at equal intervals across the entire length of the suctioning device 22 in the conveying direction 36. Two vacuum connectors 24 are connected at mutually opposing end-face ends of the suctioning device 22 to the bottom of the suction chamber 40, wherein the third vacuum connector 24 is connected in the center of the suctioning device 22 to the bottom of the suction chamber 40.

(11) For cleaning the suction chamber 40 and the suctioning section 18, cleaning nozzles 44 are provided at the end-face, mutually opposing ends 42 of the suction chamber 40. A cleaning nozzle 44 that is directed into the suction chamber 40 is provided at each end-face end 42. Furthermore, a drain 46 is provided in the bottom surface of the suction chamber 40 in the area of each of the end-face ends 42 of the suction chamber 40. The cleaning medium that has been sprayed by the cleaning nozzles 44 may drain out through the drain 46.

(12) FIG. 4 provides schematic depictions of different size products 14a, 14b. The products 14a have a smaller diameter than the products 14b. While at least three entire suction ports are allocated to each of the three products 14a, the larger products 14b each completely cover at least five suction ports 20. The pusher 28 pushes the rows 30, 32, 34 of the products 14 forward until about two-thirds of the diameter of the products 14 in the front-most product row 32 is resting on the conveyor belt of the conveying apparatus 16. Then there is slight suction across the front-most row of the suction ports 20 in the area of the rear edge of the products 14 in this front-most row 32. The next, second product row 34 is then suctioned more strongly than the front-most row 32, because the next row 34 experiences greater coverage with the suction ports 20, as FIG. 3 illustrates.

(13) The advance along the transfer direction with the pusher 28 is then stopped, while the vacuum suction via the suction ports 20 continues. Then the conveyor belt of the conveying apparatus 16 is set in motion, wherein the front-most row 32 of the products 14 is carried along by the conveying apparatus 16 and is conveyed along the conveying direction 36. Because the second row 34 is now experiencing maximum suction, no product 14 from this row 34 is carried along by the front-most row 32.

(14) As soon as the rear-most product 14 in the row 32 in the conveying direction 36 has been conveyed out of the area of the transfer plate 12 and the suctioning section 18, the conveying apparatus 16 is stopped and the next, now front-most product row is pushed by the pusher 28 onto the conveying apparatus 16 and the process is repeated.

(15) For cleaning the suction chamber 40 and the suctioning section 18, the transfer plate 12 is driven vertically upward about 100 mm by the lifting cylinders of the lifting device 39. This prevents cleaning medium exiting upward through the suction ports 20 during the cleaning process from contaminating products 14 arranged on the transfer plate 12. The advantage may thus be seen in the fact that the cleaning may take place while the products 14 are on the transfer plate 12.