System and method for boxing products

Abstract

A system for boxing products, including a transfer line configured to transfer products from a product output section of a production machine to a product input section of a boxing machine, and a device for varying a pitch between products on the transfer line so as to form empty spaces having respective lengths in the transport direction equal to or greater than a length of said products.

Claims

1. A system for boxing products, comprising: a production machine having a product output section, a boxing machine having a product input section, a transfer line configured to transfer said products in a transport direction from said product output section of the production machine to said product input section of the boxing machine, a buffer configured to accumulate products coming from said production machine during stops or slowdowns of said boxing machine, a device configured to vary a pitch between products on said transfer line so as to form on said transfer line empty spaces having respective lengths in the transport direction equal to or greater than a length of said products, and a manipulator configured to pick up products from said buffer and deposit the products picked up from said buffer in respective empty spaces formed on said transfer line.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said transfer line comprises a first conveyor driven at a first speed and configured to advance products in the transport direction with a first pitch, and a second conveyor driven at a second speed greater than said first speed, configured to receive products from an output of the first conveyor, so that the products on the second conveyor have a second pitch greater than said first pitch.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said transfer line comprises a third conveyor configured to receive products from the second conveyor, and a fourth conveyor disposed at an output of the third conveyor, wherein the third conveyor is selectively driven at variable speed to selectively form empty spaces on said fourth conveyor.

4. The system of claim 3, comprising a barrier element configured to selectively stop products on said second conveyor so as to selectively form empty spaces on said second conveyor downstream of said barrier element.

5. The system of claim 3, comprising a grouping device configured to engage a group of products from the products moving along said second conveyor and to arrange the products within said group of products with a third pitch smaller than said second pitch, so as to form empty spaces between successive groups of products.

6. A method for boxing products, comprising: providing a production machine having a product output section, providing a boxing machine having a product input section, transferring said products in a transport direction from said product output section of the production machine to said product input section of the boxing machine via a transfer line, accumulating in a buffer products coming from said production machine during stops or slowdowns of said boxing machine, varying a pitch between products on said transfer line so as to form on said transfer line empty spaces having respective lengths in the transport direction equal to or greater than a length of said products, and picking up products from said buffer and depositing products picked up from said buffer in respective empty spaces formed on said transfer line.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said transfer line comprises a first conveyor and a second conveyor, the method comprising advancing products with a first pitch on the first conveyor driven at a first speed, transferring products from the first conveyor to the second conveyor driven at a second speed greater than said first speed so that the products on the second conveyor have a second pitch greater than said first pitch.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said transfer line comprises a third conveyor and a fourth conveyor, the method comprising transferring products from the second conveyor to the third conveyor selectively driven at variable speed, and selectively forming said empty spaces on the fourth conveyor disposed at an output of the third conveyor.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising selectively stopping a product of said products on said second conveyor by a barrier element and selectively forming none empty space on said second conveyor downstream of said barrier element.

10. The method of claim 7, comprising engaging a group of products from the products moving along said second conveyor by a grouping device and arranging the products within said group of products with a third pitch smaller than said second pitch, so as to form empty spaces between successive groups of products.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting example, wherein:

[0018] FIGS. 1-3 are schematic plan views illustrating different operating phases of a first embodiment of a system for boxing products according to the present invention,

[0019] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a second embodiment of a system according to the present invention,

[0020] FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic side views illustrating two operating phases of a third embodiment of a system according to the present invention, and

[0021] FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of a grouping device usable in the system of FIGS. 5 and 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] With reference to the figures, 10 schematically indicates a system for boxing products P. The products P may sanitary articles enclosed in be packages of absorbent flexible bags.

[0023] The system 10 includes a production machine 12 having a product output section 14 from which products P exit aligned with each other in a continuously moving array.

[0024] The system 10 includes a boxing machine 16 having a product input section 18. The boxing machine 16 is configured to receive products P advancing in a continuous array, to form product groups, and to arrange the product groups in cardboard boxes.

[0025] The system 10 includes a transfer line 20 configured to transfer the products P in a transport direction A from the product output section 14 of the production machine 12 to the product input section 18 of the boxing machine 16.

[0026] The system 10 includes a buffer 22 configured to accumulate products P coming from the production machine 12 during stops or slowdowns of the boxing machine 16.

[0027] As will be better described below, the system 10 includes a device for varying the pitch between products P on the transfer line 20 so as to form on the transfer line 20 empty spaces ES having respective lengths L in the transport direction X equal to or greater than the length L of products P.

[0028] The system 10 further includes a manipulator 38 configured to pick up products P from the buffer 22 and deposit the products P picked up from the buffer 22 in respective empty spaces ES formed on the transfer line 20.

[0029] The transfer line 20 includes a first conveyor 24 that receives products P from the product output section 14 of the production machine 12. The first conveyor 24 is driven at a first speed V1 and is configured to advance products P in the transport direction A with a first pitch X1. The transfer line 20 includes a second conveyor 26 configured to receive products P from the output of the first conveyor 24. The second conveyor 26 is driven at a second speed V2 greater than the first speed V1. The fact that the speed V2 of the second conveyor 26 is greater than the first speed V1 of the first conveyor 24 causes the products P on the second conveyor 26 to have a second pitch X2 greater than the first pitch X1.

[0030] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the transfer line 20 includes a third conveyor 28 configured to receive products P from the second conveyor 26 and a fourth conveyor 30 disposed at the output of the third conveyor 28. The third conveyor 28 is selectively driven at variable speed to selectively form empty spaces ES on the fourth conveyor 30. In particular, the third conveyor 28 slows down when receiving a product P to form an empty space ES on the fourth conveyor 30 then accelerates to arrange the products P on the fourth conveyor with a desired pitch.

[0031] With reference to FIG. 4, in a second embodiment the transfer line 20 includes a barrier element 32 controlled by an actuator and movable between a disengaged position and a stop position. The barrier element 32 is configured to selectively stop products P on the second conveyor 26 so as to selectively form empty spaces ES on the second conveyor 26 downstream of the barrier element 32. When the barrier element 32 is in the stop position, the product P that comes into contact with the barrier element 32 stops. The second conveyor 26 slides relative to the product P that is in contact with the barrier element 32. After an empty space with a length L greater than the length of products P has formed downstream of the barrier element 32, the barrier element 32 is moved to the disengaged position and the products P continue to advance on the second conveyor 26 at speed V2 and with pitch X2.

[0032] FIGS. 5-7 illustrate a third embodiment of a system according to the present invention. Elements corresponding to those previously described are indicated with the same references. In this embodiment, the transfer line 20 includes a grouping device 34 (FIG. 7) configured to engage a group of products P moving along the second conveyor 26 and to arrange the products P of such group with a third pitch X3 smaller than the second pitch X2. In this way, empty spaces ES are formed on the second conveyor 26 between successive groups of products P. With reference to FIG. 7, the grouping device 34 may include a plurality of engagement elements 40, each of which is configured to engage a respective product P. The engagement elements 40 can move independently of each other along a guide 42 extending along a closed path. The guide 42 may have a straight branch parallel to the transport direction A. The engagement elements 40 engage the products P moving along the second conveyor 26 and slow them down to bring them closer together. The second conveyor 26 slides relative to the products engaged by the engagement elements 40. The slowing down of the products relative to the second conveyor 26 periodically forms empty spaces ES. When the engagement elements 40 disengage from their respective products P, the products move on the second conveyor 26 with a pitch X3. The manipulator 38 fills the empty spaces ES with products picked up from the buffer 22 as in the previously described embodiments.

[0033] The system according to the present invention in operation implements a method for boxing products P, comprising: [0034] providing a production machine 12 having a product output section 14, [0035] providing a boxing machine 16 having a product input section 18, [0036] transferring the products P in a transport direction A from the product output section 14 of the production machine 12 to the product input section 18 of the boxing machine 16 via a transfer line 20, [0037] accumulating in a buffer 22 products P coming from the production machine 12 during stops or slowdowns of the boxing machine 16, [0038] varying the pitch between products P moving along the transfer line 20 so as to form along the transfer line 20 empty spaces ES having respective lengths L in the transport direction A equal to or greater than the length L of products P, and [0039] picking up products P from the buffer 22 and depositing the products P picked up from the buffer 22 in respective empty spaces ES formed on the transfer line 20.

[0040] The method may comprise advancing products P with a first pitch X1 on a first conveyor 24 driven at a first speed V1, transferring the products P from the first conveyor 24 to a second conveyor 26 driven at a second speed V2 greater than the first speed V1 so that the products P on the second conveyor 26 are arranged with a second pitch X2 greater than the first pitch X1.

[0041] The method may comprise transferring products P from the second conveyor 26 to a third conveyor 28 selectively driven at variable speed, and selectively forming said empty spaces ES on a fourth conveyor 30 disposed at the output of the third conveyor 28.

[0042] In one possible embodiment, the method may comprise selectively stopping products P on said second conveyor 26 by a barrier element 32 and selectively forming an empty space ES on said second conveyor 26 downstream of said barrier element 32.

[0043] In one possible embodiment, the method may comprise engaging a group of products P moving along said second conveyor 26 and arranging the products P of said group with a third pitch X3 smaller than the second pitch X2, so as to form empty spaces ES between successive groups of products P.

[0044] The formation of empty spaces ES along the array of products P moving in the transport direction A allows using the products P accumulated in the buffer 22 to place the products picked from the buffer in respective empty spaces ES. This allows emptying the buffer 22 even in the absence of stops or slowdowns of the production machine and enables the system to operate constantly at the maximum speed of the production machine.

[0045] Naturally, while maintaining the principle of the invention, the construction details and embodiments may be widely varied without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.