Device and method for conveying products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11926484-B2
Application number	US-202017779548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2020
Priority date	Nov 28, 2019
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

A device for conveying products within an industrial line, comprising a conveyor transporting a stream of products along at least one line. The device comprises at least one main zone delimited by primary beacons and covering a segment of the stream; and above the conveyor, at least one member for detecting the primary beacons and for counting the number of products at least inside the main zone. Also a method for conveying products, in which a stream of products is transported along at least one line and, by means of primary beacons at least one main zone is delimited, covering a segment of the stream; the primary beacons are detected and the number of products in the main zone is counted.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device ( 2 ) for conveying products ( 1 ) in an industrial line, comprising at least one conveyor ( 5 ) transporting a stream of products ( 1 ) in at least one line ( 6 );
wherein said conveying device ( 2 ) comprises:
at least one main zone ( 7 ) delimited by primary beacons ( 70 , 700 , 71 , 710 ) and covering a section of said stream; and
above said conveyor ( 5 ), at least one member ( 8 ) for detecting said primary beacons ( 70 , 700 , 71 , 710 ) and for counting the number of products ( 1 ) at least in said main zone ( 7 ).

2. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said main zone ( 7 ) is delimited by at least two primary beacons ( 70 , 700 , 71 , 710 ) positioned at each upstream and downstream end of said main zone ( 7 ).

3. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an additional zone ( 9 ) situated upstream of said main zone ( 7 ) and covering another section of said stream; said additional zone ( 9 ) being delimited by at least one primary beacon ( 70 , 700 ) of said main zone ( 7 ) and by at least one additional primary beacon ( 90 , 900 ) situated at the upstream end of said additional zone ( 9 ); said member ( 8 ) ensuring the detection of said at least one additional primary beacon ( 90 , 900 ) and the counting of the number of products ( 1 ) in said additional zone ( 9 ).

4. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said stream comprises several lines ( 6 ) of products ( 1 ); each line ( 6 ) being delimited by at least two pairs of longitudinally aligned secondary beacons ( 10 , 11 ), said pairs being positioned on either side of each line ( 6 ); said member ( 8 ) ensuring the detection of said secondary beacons ( 10 , 11 ) and the counting of the number of products ( 1 ) for each of said lines ( 6 ).

5. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 4 , wherein comprises longitudinal guides ( 12 ), delimiting a guiding corridor for each line ( 6 ) of products ( 1 ); said secondary beacons ( 10 , 11 ) being fixed onto said longitudinal guides ( 12 ).

6. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the main zone ( 7 ) comprises a downstream output end to a downstream station ( 4 ).

7. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a means for comparing the number of products ( 1 ) of each zone ( 7 , 9 ) and of each line ( 6 ) to at least one determined value; said comparison means comprising a notification issuing means.

8. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said detection and counting member ( 8 ) comprises at least one beam ( 80 ) covering at least said main zone ( 7 ).

9. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said detection and counting member ( 8 ) is a camera.

10. A method for conveying products ( 1 ) in an industrial line, wherein at least one conveyor ( 5 ) is used to transport a stream of products ( 1 ) in at least one line ( 6 );
the method comprising:
primary beacons ( 70 , 700 , 71 , 710 ) are used to delimit at least one main zone ( 7 ) covering a section of said stream;
said primary beacons ( 70 , 700 , 71 , 710 ) are detected and the number of products ( 1 ) is counted at least in said main zone ( 7 ).

11. The conveying method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein:
additional primary beacons ( 90 , 900 ) are used to delimit at least the upstream end of an additional zone ( 9 ) upstream of said main zone ( 7 );
said additional primary beacons ( 90 , 900 ) are detected; and
the number of products ( 1 ) in said additional zone ( 9 ) is counted.

12. The conveying method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said stream comprises several lines ( 6 ),
each line ( 6 ) is delimited by at least two pairs of longitudinally aligned secondary beacons ( 10 , 11 ), said pairs being positioned on either side of each line ( 6 );
said secondary beacons ( 10 , 11 ) are detected and the products ( 1 ) of each line ( 6 ) are counted.

13. The conveying method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the number of products ( 1 ) of each zone ( 7 , 9 ) and of each line ( 6 ) is compared to at least one determined value; and a notification is issued based on said comparison.

14. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising an additional zone ( 9 ) situated upstream of said main zone ( 7 ) and covering another section of said stream; said additional zone ( 9 ) being delimited by at least one primary beacon ( 70 , 700 ) of said main zone ( 7 ) and by at least one additional primary beacon ( 90 , 900 ) situated at the upstream end of said additional zone ( 9 ); said member ( 8 ) ensuring the detection of said at least one additional primary beacon ( 90 , 900 ) and the counting of the number of products ( 1 ) in said additional zone ( 9 ).

15. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said stream comprises several lines ( 6 ) of products ( 1 ); each line ( 6 ) being delimited by at least two pairs of longitudinally aligned secondary beacons ( 10 , 11 ), said pairs being positioned on either side of each line ( 6 ); said member ( 8 ) ensuring the detection of said secondary beacons ( 10 , 11 ) and the counting of the number of products ( 1 ) for each of said lines ( 6 ).

16. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the main zone ( 7 ) comprises a downstream output end to a downstream station ( 4 ).

17. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising a means for comparing the number of products ( 1 ) of each zone ( 7 , 9 ) and of each line ( 6 ) to at least one determined value; said comparison means comprising a notification issuing means.

18. The conveying device ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said detection and counting member ( 8 ) comprises at least one beam ( 80 ) covering at least said main zone ( 7 ).

19. The conveying method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said stream comprises several lines ( 6 ),
each line ( 6 ) is delimited by at least two pairs of longitudinally aligned secondary beacons ( 10 , 11 ), said pairs being positioned on either side of each line ( 6 );
said secondary beacons ( 10 , 11 ) are detected and the products ( 1 ) of each line ( 6 ) are counted.

20. The conveying method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the number of products ( 1 ) of each zone ( 7 , 9 ) and of each line ( 6 ) is compared to at least one determined value; and a notification is issued based on said comparison.

Assignees

• Sidel Participations

Inventors

• Henninger Raphaël

Classifications

• B65G43/08 Primary

  Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} · CPC title

• B65G47/268 Primary

  by means of belt or chain conveyor · CPC title

• G06M7/04

  Counting of piece goods, e.g. of boxes · CPC title

• B65G2203/0241

  Quantity of articles · CPC title

• B65G2203/044

  Optical · CPC title