CONVEYOR RACETRACK SYSTEM

Abstract

A conveyor system (1) comprising at least one endless chain conveyor (2) and at least one pallet (8) that comprises a magnetic material, where the conveyor system comprises a first loading station (3) and an unloading station (5), where the first loading station (3) comprises a magnet conveyor (6) comprising a linear motor for driving the pallet (8), where the pallet (8) comprises a product holder (9) having at least two holding positions (11, 12, 13, 14), and the magnet conveyor (6) is adapted to stop the pallet (8) at a plurality of positions, in which each holding position (11, 12, 13, 14) is aligned with a delivery position (15) of the first loading station (3). The advantage is that a pallet can be positioned in a plurality of positions at a loading station in a quick and precise manner, allowing for a flexible and quick handling of pallets.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. Conveyor system (1) comprising: at least one endless chain conveyor (2); a first loading station (3) and an unloading station (5), the first loading station (3) comprising a first infeed conveyor (17) having a delivery position (15) and a magnet conveyor (6) comprising a linear motor; and at least one pallet (8) comprising a magnetic material such that it can be driven by the magnet conveyor (6) at the first loading station (3), wherein: the pallet (8) further comprises a product holder (9) having at least two holding positions (11, 12, 13, 14) where each holding position is adapted to hold a product (10), and the magnet conveyor (6) is adapted to stop the pallet (8) at a plurality of positions, in which each holding position (11, 12, 13,14) of the product holder (9) is aligned with the delivery position (15) of the first infeed conveyor (17).

10. Conveyor system according to claim 9, wherein the first infeed conveyor (17) is provided with a continuous flow.

11. Conveyor system according to claim 9, wherein the conveyor system (1) comprises a second loading station (4) comprising a magnet conveyor (7) comprising a linear motor, where the second loading station (4) is provided with a second infeed conveyor (18) having a delivery position (16).

12. Conveyor system according to claim 10, wherein the conveyor system (1) comprises a second loading station (4) comprising a magnet conveyor (7) comprising a linear motor, where the second loading station (4) is provided with a second infeed conveyor (18) having a delivery position (16).

13. Conveyor system according to claim 11, wherein the magnet conveyor (7) at the second loading station (4) is adapted to stop the pallet (8) at a plurality of positions, in which each holding position (11, 12, 13, 14) of the product holder (9) is aligned with the delivery position (16) of the second infeed conveyor (18).

14. Conveyor system according to claim 11, wherein the second infeed conveyor (18) is provided with a continuous flow.

15. Conveyor system according to claim 13, wherein the second infeed conveyor (18) is provided with a continuous flow.

16. Conveyor system according to claim 9, wherein the chain conveyor (2) comprises a at least one curve (23).

17. Conveyor system according to claim 9, wherein the chain conveyor (2) comprises a at least one buffer.

18. Conveyor system according to claim 9, wherein the holding positions (11, 12, 13, 14) of the product holder (9) are adapted for at least two different products.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] The invention will be described in greater detail in the following, with reference to the embodiments that are shown in the attached drawings, in which

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a conveyor system according to the invention, and

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a pallet for the conveyor system according to the invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0018] The embodiments of the invention with further developments described in the following are to be regarded only as examples and are in no way to limit the scope of the protection provided by the patent claims. References such as longitudinal, horizontal, vertical, right, left etc. refer to directions of a conveyor in normal use.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a conveyor system according to the invention, and FIG. 2 shows a pallet to be used in the conveyor system.

[0020] The conveyor system 1 comprises at least one chain conveyor 2 of a known type, comprising an endless conveyor chain consisting of a plurality of plastic chain links connected to each other. The conveyor system may comprise one or more chain conveyors, depending on the size and design of the conveyor system. In the shown conveyor system, two chain conveyors are used. Each chain conveyor comprises a drive unit and an idler unit, arranged at each end of the chain conveyor where the conveyor chain changes direction. The conveyor system can be designed in a flexible way and may thus comprise one or more curves 19.

[0021] The shown conveyor system further comprises two magnet conveyors, a first magnet conveyor 6 and a second magnet conveyor 7. The first magnet conveyor 6 is arranged at a first loading station 3 and the second magnet conveyor 7 is arranged at a second loading station 4. The magnet conveyors interconnect the two chain conveyors. The conveyor system also comprises an unloading station 5. At the loading stations, products are loaded on a pallet, and the products are forwarded to the unloading station by the chain conveyor, where the products are unloaded into a package of some kind.

[0022] The first magnet conveyor 6 is arranged at the first loading 3. At the first loading station, individual products arrive one and one from a production machine of some kind. It may be toothpaste tubes arriving from a toothpaste-filling machine, candy bars arriving from a candy bar wrapping machine, or the like. Common for all products is that they arrive one and one in a continuous flow on a first infeed conveyor 17, and that the products are to be packed in bundles comprising at least two products. The products 10 are thus loaded in a product holder 9 on a pallet 8. The product holder comprises a plurality of holding positions, where each holding position is adapted to hold a product. The products are held in parallel, with the products arranged next to each other. In the shown example, the product holder comprises four holding positions, a first holding position 11, a second holding position 12, a third holding position 13 and a fourth holding position 14. A suitable number of holding positions of a product holder is between two and ten.

[0023] The products are conveyed on the first infeed conveyor in a continuous manner. It is thus of great importance that the holding positions of the pallet can be positioned at the delivery position in a quick and precise manner, such that the continuous flow of the first infeed conveyor must not be stopped. Normally, a conveyor of a racetrack system is used to pick up products from a continuous flow. The loading station preferably comprises a sensor that detects when a product arrives at the delivery position and is loaded on the product holder. The detector signal is used to position the pallet at the delivery position when a product arrives. Even if the flow is continuous, the distance between the products may vary.

[0024] The first magnet conveyor 6 comprises a linear motor that can drive the pallet in the direction of the product flow of the conveyor system. The linear motor comprises a plurality of magnetic coils that can control the movement of the pallet at the magnet conveyor. The pallet 8 comprises a magnetic material such that it can be driven by the magnet conveyor. The magnetic material may be a magnetic metal or a permanent magnet of some kind. The magnet conveyor can drive and position the pallet with a very high precision and with a high speed. In the shown example, the first magnet conveyor can position the pallet at four positions, where each holding position of the product holder will be aligned with the delivery position 15 of the first loading station 3.

[0025] The first magnet conveyor 6 can control several pallets at the same time. It is thus possible to provide a small queue of pallets, e.g. two to four pallets, at the first magnet conveyor such that an empty pallet can be quickly positioned at the delivery position when another pallet has been filled with products. In this way, the continuous flow of the infeed conveyor must not be stopped or slowed down when a new pallet is positioned at the pick-up position.

[0026] When a pallet arrives at the first loading station, the pallet is stopped with the first holding position 11 at the delivery position 15, where the first holding position 11 of the product holder is aligned with the delivery position 15 of the first infeed conveyor 17. A product is loaded in the first holding position 11, and the pallet is advanced such that the pallet is stopped with the second holding position 12 at the delivery position 15, such that the second holding position 12 is aligned with the delivery position 15 of the first infeed conveyor 17, and a product is loaded in the second holding position 12. A pallet 8 where the first holding position 11 and the second holding position 12 are loaded with products 10 is shown in FIG. 2. This is repeated until all holding positions of a product holder are filled, in the shown example until the third holding position 13 and the fourth holding position 14 has been loaded with products. The pallet is then forwarded to the chain conveyor for transport to the unloading station, where all products are unloaded at the same time, either to an individual bundle package or to a larger package holding several product bundles.

[0027] In the shown example, the conveyor system also comprises a second magnet conveyor 7 arranged at a second loading station 4. The second magnet conveyor 7 is similar or identical to the first magnet conveyor 6, and comprises a linear motor that can drive one or more pallets in the direction of the product flow of the conveyor system. The linear motor comprises a plurality of magnetic coils that can control the movement of the pallet at the magnet conveyor.

[0028] The second magnet conveyor can position the pallet with the four holding positions at the delivery position 16, where the holding positions of the product holder are aligned with the delivery position 16 of the second infeed conveyor 18. At the second loading station, products from the second infeed conveyor can be loaded in the product holder. In one example, an empty product holder is filled with products, in the same way as products at the first loading station are loaded in the product holder. In this way, two different products can be handled in the same conveyor system. In another example, a product holder is loaded with both types of products, e.g. a first product in the first and the third holding position, and a second product in the second and fourth holding position. In this case, the second magnet conveyor stops the pallet with the second holding position 12 aligned with the delivery position 16 of the second infeed conveyor 18. When the second holding position is filled, the pallet is advanced such that the fourth holding position 14 is aligned with the delivery position 16 of the second infeed conveyor 18. When the fourth holding position is filled, the product holder is forwarded to the unloading station where all products are unloaded at the same time, into the same package.

[0029] In this way, it is possible to mix different products in the same package in an easy and flexible way, which is not possible with a traditional racetrack. The mix may of course vary, depending on the number of holding positions of the product holder and the type of product. It is e.g. possible to offer a new test product to a costumer. When the customer e.g. buys three ordinary products, a fourth test product can be included in the package. It is also possible to group different products in the same package. The products that are loaded in the product holder at different loading stations may have different size or shape, as long as they fit in the holding positions of the product holder. It is also possible to provide the holding positions of the product holder with different shapes and sizes, adapted for products having a different size or shape. In one example, a tube and a bottle are to be included in the same package. A first holding position is then adapted to hold a tube, and a second holding position is adapted to hold a bottle. The tube is loaded at a first loading station, and the bottle is loaded at a second loading station.

[0030] The conveyor system may also comprise a buffer, where products can be stored temporarily. The use of a buffer will give some tolerances for problems that may occur at the production of a product, or at the unloading station where the products are packed. The pallets holding products may e.g. enter a buffer when the packaging material at the unloading station must be replaced or replenished. This is also not possible in an ordinary racetrack system. The unloading of products at the unloading station may e.g. be made with a pusher or an industrial robot. At the unloading station, the pallet may be stopped with a conventional mechanical stop. Since only one stop position is required at the unloading station, it is not necessary to use a magnet conveyor to position the pallet.

[0031] The invention is not to be regarded as being limited to the embodiments described above, a number of additional variants and modifications being possible within the scope of the subsequent patent claims. The conveyor system may comprise any number of magnet conveyors, and the pallet may have any size or shape.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0032] 1: Conveyor system

[0033] 2: Endless chain conveyor

[0034] 3: First loading station

[0035] 4: Second loading station

[0036] 5: Unloading station

[0037] 6: Magnet conveyor of first loading station

[0038] 7: Magnet conveyor of second loading station

[0039] 8: Pallet

[0040] 9: Product holder

[0041] 10: Product

[0042] 11: First holding position

[0043] 12: Second holding position

[0044] 13: Third holding position

[0045] 14: Fourth holding position

[0046] 15: Delivery position of first infeed conveyor

[0047] 16: Delivery position of second infeed conveyor

[0048] 17: First infeed conveyor

[0049] 18: Second infeed conveyor

[0050] 19: Curve