Device and method for moving containers to a weighing station for weighing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11047727-B2
Application number	US-201716321447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2017
Priority date	Jul 29, 2016
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A method for weighing containers arranged inside a holding structure includes providing a holding structure suitable to house in a substantially stable position at least one container, said at least one container including a supporting portion shaped so as to keep the container suspended on the holding structure, bringing said at least one container to a weighing station including a weighing member suitable to weight said at least one container, weighing said at container by means of said weighing member; wherein the weighing step is carried out by moving the holding structure so as to put said at least one container housed inside the holding structure in contact with the weighing member kept in a stationary position, until the detachment of the supporting portion of said at least one container from the holding structure is obtained.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for weighing containers arranged in a holding structure comprising the steps of:
providing a holding structure suitable to hold in a substantially stable position at least one container possibly containing a substance to be weighed, said at least one container including a supporting portion shaped so as to abut against the holding structure for keeping said at least one container hanging from the holding structure;
providing a robotic manipulator, the manipulator arranged to clamps the holding structure;
using the robotic manipulator to bring the holding structure and the at least one container to a weighing station having a weighing member suitable to weigh said at least one container;
weighing said at least one container with said weighing member; wherein the weighing step is carried out by using the robotic manipulator to move the holding structure vertically towards said weighing member in such a manner so as to bring said at least one container housed inside the holding structure into contact with the weighing member while said weighing member is kept in a stationary position, said at least one container lifting from the holding structure causing the detachment of the supporting portion from said holding structure, the detachment of the supporting portion being obtained only by the movement of the holding structure with respect to the stationary weighing member.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein during the weighing step, the holding structure is secured to the manipulator.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the movement of the holding structure towards said weighing member is carried out in a vertical direction in such a way so as that the lifting of the supporting portion of the container from the holding structure occurs along a substantially vertical direction.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said supporting portion of the container is lifted from the holding structure for a distance smaller that a longitudinal extension of the container, so that the container does not completely leave the holding structure.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a supporting member is coupled to the weighing member, the container going in abutment onto said supporting member during the weighing step.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein during the weighing step, said at least one container is removably kept in a stable position by said supporting member.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the movement of the holding structure with respect to the weighing member kept in a stationary position is controlled by a control unit according to an input received by the weighing member.

8. A weighing unit of containers arranged in a holding structure, wherein at least one container is held by the holding structure, said at least one container including a supporting portion shaped so as to abut against the holding structure for keeping said at least one container hanging from the holding structure; said weighing unit comprising:
a weighing station including a weighing member suitable to weigh said at least one container, said weighing member being fixed to a support so that the weighing member cannot move with respect to the support; a robotic manipulator programmed to move the holding structure in such a manner so as to bring said at least one container housed inside the holding structure into contact with the weighing member while said weighing member is kept in a stationary position, until the detachment of the supporting portion of said at least one container from the holding structure is obtained, wherein the manipulator is configured to clamp the holding structure and take it to the weighing station and to move the clamped holding structure towards said weighing member when weighing said at least one container.

9. The unit according to claim 8 , wherein the weighing member includes a load cell.

10. The unit according to claim 8 , wherein the weighing station includes a supporting member onto which the container abuts during the weighing of the container.

11. The unit according to claim 10 , wherein the supporting member is configured to stably keep the container during the weighing.

12. The unit according to claim 8 , wherein said manipulator is connected to a control unit programmed to control the movements of the manipulator according to an input received by the weighing member.

13. The unit according to claim 8 , wherein said holding structure comprises a flat surface with at least a cylindrical seat configured to house said at least one container, the supporting portion having an annual shape and abutting against said flat surface of the holding structure when said at least one container is housed into said at least one cylindrical seat.

14. The unit according to claim 13 , wherein said cylindrical seat comprises a circular hole with a central axis coinciding with a longitudinal axis of the container when housed within said seat.

Assignees

• Ima Spa

Inventors

• Trebbi Claudio
• Gabusi Gabriele
• Cussini Michele

Classifications

• B65B3/28

  by weighing · CPC title

• B67C3/26

  Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks · CPC title

• B67C3/202 Primary

  by weighing · CPC title

• G01G17/00 Primary

  Apparatus for or methods of weighing material of special form or property (determining weight by measuring volume G01F) · CPC title

• G01G15/00 Primary

  Arrangements for check-weighing of materials dispensed into removable containers (packaging aspects B65B; {electric measuring arrangements involving comparison with a reference value G01R17/00}) · CPC title