Separating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9457964-B2
Application number	US-201214350669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2012
Priority date	Oct 13, 2011
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

The invention proceeds from a separating device having at least one portioning unit ( 12 a - f ) which is provided for spacing main groups ( 14 a - f ) apart from at least one product column ( 18 a - f ) which is fed in a continuous feed movement ( 16 a - f ) and for forming the main groups ( 14 a - f ) from the at least one product column ( 18 a - f ) which is fed in, by an acceleration at least substantially in the direction of the feed movement ( 16 a - f ). It is proposed that the portioning unit ( 12 a - f ) is provided for returning into an initial position ( 20 a - f ) in order to form the next main group ( 14 a - f ), while the at least one product column ( 18 a - f ) which is fed in a feed movement ( 16 a - f ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A separating device having at least one portioning unit ( 12 a - f ), which is designed to space main groups ( 14 a - f ) from at least one product column ( 18 a - f ) formed as a stack of strung, mutually touching individual products supplied in a continuous feed motion ( 16 a - f ) and to form the main groups ( 14 a - f ) from the at least one supplied product column ( 18 a - f ) by an acceleration at least substantially in a direction of the feed motion ( 16 a - f ), characterized in that the portioning unit ( 12 a - f ) returns to a starting position ( 20 a - f ) in order to form a next main group ( 14 a - f ), while the at least one supplied product column ( 18 a - f ) is supplied in a feed motion ( 16 a - f ), and
characterized by at least one product column brace ( 32 a - f ), which is synchronizable with the feed motion ( 16 a - f ) and which, during at least one of spacing and evacuation of the main groups ( 14 a - f ), secures one end ( 58 a - f ) of the supplied product column ( 18 a - f ).

2. The separating device as claimed in claim 1 , characterized by a depositing unit ( 22 a - f ), which evacuates the main groups ( 14 a - f ) in an evacuation motion ( 24 a - f ) having a motional component ( 26 a - f ) at least substantially transversely to the feed motion ( 16 a - f ).

3. The separating device as claimed in claim 2 , characterized in that at least one of the depositing unit ( 22 e ) and the positioning unit ( 12 e ) deposits the main groups ( 14 e ) in synchronization with an onward transport motion ( 28 e ) into an onward transport unit ( 30 e ).

4. The separating device as claimed in claim 2 , characterized in that the portioning unit ( 12 a - f ) at least substantially stops the main groups ( 14 a - f ) prior to the start of the evacuation motion ( 24 a - f ).

5. The separating device as claimed in claim 1 , characterized by a feed unit ( 34 a - f ), which feeds the supplied product column ( 18 a - f ) in a feed direction ( 38 a - f ) which is angled downward in relation to a horizontal ( 36 a - f ).

6. The separating device as claimed in claim 1 , characterized by a feed unit ( 34 a - f ), which feeds the supplied product column ( 18 a - f ) in a feed direction ( 38 a - f ) which is angled upward in relation to a horizontal ( 36 a - f ).

7. The separating device as claimed in claim 1 , characterized by at least one separating element ( 40 a - f ) and a group brace ( 42 a - f ), between which at least one of the main groups ( 14 a - f ) and subgroups ( 44 a - f ) are formed.

8. The separating device as claimed in claim 7 , characterized in that at least one of a main group length ( 60 a - f ) and a subgroup length ( 62 a - f ) is determined by distances ( 46 a - f ) between separating elements ( 40 a - f ) and/or between the separating element ( 40 a - f ) and the group brace ( 42 a - f ).

9. A packing machine having a separating device ( 10 a - f ) as claimed in claim 1 .

10. A method for forming main groups ( 14 a - f ) from a product column ( 18 a - f ) with a separating device ( 10 a - f ) as claimed in claim 1 .

11. A separating device having at least one portioning unit ( 12 a - f ), which is designed to space main groups ( 14 a - f ) from at least one product column ( 18 a - f ) supplied in a continuous feed motion ( 16 a - f ) and to form the main groups ( 14 a - f ) from the at least one supplied product column ( 18 a - f ) by an acceleration at least substantially in a direction of the feed motion ( 16 a - f ), characterized by a depositing unit ( 22 a - f ), which evacuates the main groups ( 14 a - f ) in an evacuation motion ( 24 a - f ) having a motional component ( 26 a - f ) at least substantially transversely to the feed motion ( 16 a - f ).

12. The separating device as claimed in claim 11 , characterized in that at least one of the depositing unit ( 22 e ) and the positioning unit ( 12 e ) deposits the main groups ( 14 e ) in synchronization with an onward transport motion ( 28 e ) into an onward transport unit ( 30 e ).

13. The separating device as claimed in claim 11 , characterized in that the portioning unit ( 12 a - f ) at least substantially stops the main groups ( 14 a - f ) prior to the start of the evacuation motion ( 24 a - f ).

14. The separating device as claimed in claim 11 , characterized by at least one product column brace ( 32 a - f ), which is synchronizable with the feed motion ( 16 a - f ) and which during at least one of spacing and evacuation of the main groups ( 14 a - f ), secures one end ( 58 a - f ) of the supplied product column ( 18 a - f ).

15. The separating device as claimed in claim 11 , characterized by a feed unit ( 34 a - f ), which feeds the supplied product column ( 18 a - f ) in a feed direction ( 38 a - f ) which is angled downward in relation to a horizontal ( 36 a - f ).

16. The separating device as claimed in claim 11 , characterized by a feed unit ( 34 a - f ), which feeds the supplied product column ( 18 a - f ) in a feed direction ( 38 a - f ) which is angled upward in relation to a horizontal ( 36 a - f ).

17. The separating device as claimed in claim 11 , characterized by at least one separating element ( 40 a - f ) and a group brace ( 42 a - f ), between which at least one of the main groups ( 14 a - f ) and subgroups ( 44 a - f ) are formed.

18. The separating device as claimed in claim 17 , characterized in that at least one of a main group length ( 60 a - f ) and a subgroup length ( 62 a - f ) is determined by distances ( 46 a - f ) between separating elements ( 40 a - f ) and/or between the separating element ( 40 a - f ) and the group brace ( 42 a - f ).

19. A packing machine having a separating device ( 10 a - f ) as claimed in claim 11 .

20. A method for forming main groups ( 14 a - f ) from a product column ( 18 a - f ) with a separating device ( 10 a - f ) as claimed in claim 11 .

21. A separating device having at least one portioning unit ( 12 a - f ), which is designed to space main groups ( 14 a - f ) from at least one product column ( 18 a - f ) formed as a stack of strung, mutually touching individual products supplied in a continuous feed motion ( 16 a - f ) and to form the main groups ( 14 a - f ) from the at least one supplied product column ( 18 a - f ) by an acceleration at least substantially in a direction of the feed motion ( 16 a - f ), characterized in that the portioning unit ( 12 a - f ) returns to a starting position ( 20 a - f ) in order to form a next main group ( 14 a - f ), while the at least one supplied product column ( 18 a - f ) is supplied in a feed motion ( 16 a - f ), and
characterized by at least one separating element ( 40 a - f ) and a group brace ( 42 a - f ), between which at least one of the main groups ( 14 a - f ) and subgroups ( 44 a - f ) are formed.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Schaumburg Uwe

Classifications

• B65G47/261 Primary

  Accumulating articles · CPC title

• B65G47/26

  arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles · CPC title

• B65B23/14 Primary

  Forming groups of biscuits · CPC title

• B65G47/084

  grouping articles in a predetermined 2-dimensional pattern · CPC title