Package grouping unit with package linear speed reduction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10040586-B2
Application number	US-201615552413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	Jun 15, 2015
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

Package grouping unit for a packaging line operable to produce multipacks; the grouping unit ( 1 ) comprises a linear conveyor ( 9 ) operable to feed a succession of packages ( 2 ) at a first speed (V 1 ); and at least one grouping assembly ( 6 ) formed by two sub-assemblies ( 12 a, 12 b ); wherein each sub-assembly comprises a pair of endless conveyors ( 13 a, 14 a; 13 b, 14 b ) and define, with the endless conveyors ( 13 a, 14 a; 13 b, 14 b ) of the other sub-assembly ( 12 b, 12 a ), a package grouping channel ( 22 ) having a package inlet ( 7 ) and a group outlet ( 8 ); each endless conveyor is provided with a number of package retaining elements ( 26 ); the endless conveyors are operable independently from each other to move a first retaining element ( 26 ) through the package inlet ( 7 ) at a second speed (V 3 ) lower than the first speed (V 1 ) so as to intercept and slow down a first package ( 2 ) in the succession and cause the packages ( 2 ) to group; and to move a second retaining element ( 26 ), carried by a different endless conveyor ( 13 a; 14 a; 13 b; 14 b ), through the package inlet ( 7 ) so as to intercept the last package ( 2 ) in the succession and define, with the first retaining element ( 26 ), a seat that is so sized as to accommodate a package group ( 3 ) and is movable, with the package group ( 3 ), along the grouping channel ( 22 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A package grouping unit for a packaging line operable to produce multipacks, the grouping unit comprising:
at least one linear conveyor operable to feed, in an advancement direction and according to a package feeding cycle, a succession of packages at a first speed, wherein the linear conveyor comprises:
an input conveyor, which is movable at the first speed and extend through the package inlet; and
an output conveyor, which is aligned to the input conveyor in the advancement direction, is movable at a second speed lower than the first speed and extends through the group outlet; and

at least one grouping assembly formed by two sub-assemblies arranged on opposite sides of the linear conveyor;
wherein each sub-assembly further comprises a pair of stacked conveyors comprising respective work branches, which extend in the advancement direction and define, with the work branches of the stacked conveyors of the other sub-assembly, a package grouping channel having a package inlet and a group outlet;
wherein each endless conveyor is provided with a number of package retaining elements, which are spaced along, and attached to, the stacked conveyor and protrude transversally into the grouping channel while moving along the respective work branch;
wherein the stacked conveyors are operable independently from each other to:
move, at each package feeding cycle, a first retaining element through the package inlet at a third speed lower than the first speed so as to reduce a speed of a first package in the succession and cause the packages to group; and
move a second retaining element, carried by a different stacked conveyor, through the package inlet so as to intercept the last package in the succession and define, with the first retaining element, a seat configured to accommodate a group of packages and is movable, with the group of packages, along the grouping channel.

2. The package grouping unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first retaining element is operable by the respective stacked conveyor to move through the group outlet at the second speed so as to release a group of packages moving at the same speed as the output conveyor.

3. The package grouping unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first retaining element and the second retaining element are carried by respective endless conveyors belonging to different sub-assemblies.

4. The package grouping unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first retaining element and the second retaining element are carried by respective stacked conveyors belonging to the same sub-assembly.

5. The package grouping unit according to claim 1 , wherein, in each sub-assembly, the work branches are arranged one on top the other, extend on a same substantially vertical plane parallel to the advancement direction, and face the corresponding work branches of the other sub-assembly.

6. The package grouping unit according to claim 1 , wherein, in each stacked conveyor, the retaining elements are defined by substantially plate-shaped elements, which protrude transversally from an exterior surface of the stacked conveyor and are moved, by the stacked conveyor, along a substantially horizontal annular path extending along the respective work branch.

7. The package grouping unit according to claim 1 , wherein the sub-assemblies are provided with respective fixed package guiding members, which are configured to cooperate with each other to transversally reduce the width of the grouping channel so as to guide laterally the packages and prevent the packages from coming into contact with the work branches when the packages move along the grouping channel.

8. The package grouping unit according to claim 1 , wherein the grouping unit comprises a plurality of linear conveyors, which are adapted to receive a respective number of packages in succession, according to a package feeding cyclic sequence; the endless conveyors of each grouping assembly are operable according to respective motion profiles in such a way that the first retaining element in one of the grouping assemblies reaches the respective package inlet according to said package feeding cyclic sequence, and, before moving through the respective group outlet to release the respective group of packages, is aligned with the first retaining elements in the other grouping assemblies, in a direction perpendicular to the advancement direction.

Assignees

• Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance

Inventors

• Laskis Jon Paul
• Coulomb Mathias N
• Santoni Giorgio
• Morselli Alessandro
• Williams Brian
• Milosevic Slobodan
• Kinas Tony

Classifications

• B65B65/006

  Multiple parallel packaging lines · CPC title

• B65G47/082

  grouping articles in rows · CPC title

• B65B35/44 Primary

  by endless belts or chains {(B65B35/405 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65B59/005

  Adjustable conveying means · CPC title

• B65B2210/02

  Plurality of alternative input or output lines or plurality of alternative packaging units on the same packaging line for improving machine flexibility · CPC title