Method and apparatus for grouping and/or separating products transported in rows

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12545526-B2
Application number	US-202218283120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2022
Priority date	Mar 22, 2021
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A method for grouping and/or separating products transported in rows. With the aid of a first conveyor belt, the products to be grouped or separated are conveyed onto a second conveyor belt connected in series with the first conveyor belt until a downstream product of the products to be grouped or separated runs up against a dividing web of a dividing device associated with the second conveyor belt. After or as the downstream product runs up against the dividing web, a conveyance of products into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt effected by means of the first conveyor belt is interrupted. The second conveyor belt is driven continuously in a transport direction specified by the second conveyor belt, and the dividing web runs along with the second conveyor belt in its transport direction over a defined distance and is then removed from the product flow of the second conveyor belt.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for grouping and/or separating products ( 2 ) transported in rows, wherein the method comprises:
conveying, with the aid of a first conveyor belt ( 1 ), the products ( 2 ) to be grouped or separated onto a second conveyor belt ( 3 ) connected in series with the first conveyor belt ( 1 ) until a downstream product of the products ( 2 ) to be grouped or separated runs up against a dividing web ( 4 ) of a dividing device ( 5 ) associated with the second conveyor belt ( 3 ); and interrupting, after or as the downstream product runs up against the dividing web ( 4 ), a conveyance of products ( 2 ) into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) effected by means of the first conveyor belt ( 1 ), wherein the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) is driven continuously in a transport direction ( 7 ) specified by the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), and wherein the dividing web ( 4 ) travels along with the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) in its transport direction ( 7 ) over a defined distance and is then removed from the product flow of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), configuring the control device ( 11 ) to stop a drive device associated with the first conveyor belt ( 1 ) to interrupt the conveyance of products ( 2 ) into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) effected by means of the first conveyor belt ( 1 ); and/or controlling a retention device ( 12 ) with a pressure element, in the form of a pressure plate, provided at the downstream end region of the first conveyor belt to interrupt the conveyance of products ( 2 ) into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) effected by means of the first conveyor belt ( 1 ).

2 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein, after the dividing web ( 4 ) is removed from the product flow of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), the dividing web is moved back again counter to the transport direction ( 7 ) of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) into an upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), in which the products ( 2 ) conveyed by the first conveyor belt ( 1 ) run up against the dividing web ( 4 ) that has been moved back.

3 . The method according to claim 2 ,
wherein, after the dividing web ( 4 ) is moved back into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), a conveyance of products ( 2 ) into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) effected by means of the first conveyor belt ( 1 ) is resumed, so that, with the aid of the first conveyor belt ( 1 ), the products ( 2 ) to be grouped or separated are again conveyed onto the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), until a downstream product of the products ( 2 ) to be grouped or separated runs up against the dividing web ( 4 ) which has been moved back into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ).

4 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the dividing device ( 5 ) associated with the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) is configured in order to, after the dividing web has been removed from the product flow of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), move the dividing web ( 4 ) back into an upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), in which the products ( 2 ) conveyed by the first conveyor belt ( 1 ) can run up in accordance with a time and/or event sequence, which is defined or definable in advance such that, with respect to the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), a repeat length ( 8 ) and/or a gap length ( 10 ) between two adjacent separated products or product groups ( 16 ) on the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) is variable and continuously adjustable.

5 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein, for transporting the dividing web ( 4 ), the dividing device ( 5 ) associated with the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) comprises at least one circulating endless belt ( 13 ), which is configured in order to guide and/or transport the dividing web ( 4 ) in a closed curve, wherein, when the dividing web ( 4 ) is moved back to the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), the dividing web ( 4 ) is guided and/or transported above, below, or to the side of a conveying plane of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ).

6 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein a speed at which the dividing web ( 4 ) travels along with the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) in its transport direction ( 7 ) over the defined distance is adjustable and is coordinated with the transport speed of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) such that the speed of the dividing web ( 4 ) as it travels along with the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) in its transport direction ( 7 ) corresponds at least substantially to the transport speed of the second transport belt ( 3 ).

7 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein a speed at which the dividing web ( 4 ) travels along with the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) in its transport direction ( 7 ) over the defined distance is adjustable and is coordinated with the transport speed of the second transport belt ( 3 ) such that the speed of the dividing web ( 4 ) as and/or immediately before it is removed from the product flow of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) is greater than the transport speed of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ).

8 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the dividing device ( 5 ) associated with the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) comprises at least two dividing webs ( 4 ) which are guided and/or transported by the circulating endless belt ( 13 ).

9 . An apparatus ( 100 ) for grouping and/or separating products ( 2 ) transported in rows, wherein the apparatus ( 100 ) comprises the following:
a horizontal conveying device comprising an upstream first conveyor belt ( 1 ) and a downstream second conveyor belt ( 3 ) connected in series with the first conveyor belt ( 1 ); a dividing device ( 5 ) associated with the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) comprising at least one dividing web ( 4 ); and a control device ( 11 ), which is configured to operate the first conveyor belt ( 1 ) in particular in a start-stop mode, wherein the dividing device ( 5 ) is configured to guide the at least one dividing web ( 4 ) in a closed curve such that the at least one dividing web ( 4 ) travels along with the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) in its transport direction ( 7 ) over a defined distance and is then removed from the product flow of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) and moved back again counter to the transport direction ( 7 ) of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) into an upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), wherein the first conveyor belt ( 1 ) is configured to convey the products ( 2 ) to be grouped or separated into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), and wherein the control device ( 11 ) is configured to interrupt a conveyance of products ( 2 ) into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) effected by means of the first conveyor belt ( 1 ) when a downstream product of the products ( 2 ) to be grouped or separated runs up against the at least one dividing web ( 4 ) in the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ), wherein, to interrupt a conveyance of products ( 2 ) into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) effected by means of the first conveyor belt ( 1 ), the control device ( 11 ) is configured to stop a drive device associated with the first conveyor belt ( 1 ); and/or wherein, to interrupt a conveyance of products ( 2 ) into the upstream region of the second conveyor belt ( 3 ) effected by means of the first conveyor belt ( 1 ), a retention device ( 12 ) which can be controlled as needed, with a pressure element, in the form of a pressure plate, is provided at the downstream end region of the first conveyor belt ( 1 ).

10 . The apparatus ( 100 ) according to claim 9 ,
wherein the second conveyor belt ( 3 )

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Wöhle Linus
• Van Dülmen Tobias

Classifications

• B65G47/88

  Separating or stopping elements, e.g. fingers (attached to star-shaped wheels B65G47/84) · CPC title

• B65G47/30

  during transit by a series of conveyors · CPC title

• B65G47/29

  by temporarily stopping movement {(stopping elements B65G47/88)} · CPC title

• B65B35/44

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

• B65G47/082 Primary

  grouping articles in rows · CPC title