Method and system for discharging beverage containers continuously moved on a horizontal conveyor and guided in parallel rows

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9546049-B2
Application number	US-201414504825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2014
Priority date	Oct 7, 2013
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

A method and system ( 1 ) for discharging beverage containers ( 6 ) continuously moved on a horizontal conveyor ( 10 ) and guided in parallel rows by one or more gripping heads ( 3 a, 3 b, 3 c ) are disclosed. The one or more gripping heads ( 3 a, 3 b, 3 c ) respectively form at least one pick-up position for the beverage containers ( 6 ) to be discharged. The beverage containers ( 6 ) are guided on the horizontal conveyor ( 10 ) at least approximately together. In the scope of the method, an actual position (IP), adopted in the conveying direction (FR), of one or more of the continuously moved beverage containers ( 6 ) is acquired. Moreover, a travelling movement, oriented in parallel to the conveying direction (FR) of the beverage containers ( 6 ), of the one or more gripping heads ( 3 a, 3 b, 3 c ) is adapted while taking into account the acquired actual position (IP). Also, a lowering motion of the one or more gripping heads ( 3 a, 3 b, 3 c ) for accepting respectively one beverage container ( 6 ) by respectively one of the at least one pick-up positions (A, B, C, D) thereof is performed. In addition, removal of the beverage containers ( 6 ) from the horizontal conveyor ( 10 ) is performed by means of a lifting motion of the respective one or more gripping heads ( 3 a, 3 b, 3 c ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method ( 2 ) for discharging beverage containers ( 6 ) continuously moved on a horizontal conveyor ( 10 ) and guided in parallel rows, by one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ), said one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) respectively forming at least one pick-up position (A, B, C, D) for the beverage containers ( 6 ) to be discharged and said beverage containers ( 6 ) being guided on the horizontal conveyor ( 10 ) at least approximately together, the method ( 2 ) comprising the following steps:
continuously moving one or more beverage containers in a conveying direction (FR);
acquiring an actual position (IP) adopted in the conveying direction (FR) by one or more of the continuously moved beverage containers ( 6 );
adapting of a travelling movement, oriented in parallel to the conveying direction (FR) of the beverage containers ( 6 ), of the one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) whilst taking into account the acquired actual position (IP);
performing a lowering motion of the one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) during further travelling movement for accepting respectively one beverage container ( 6 ) by respectively one of its at least one pick-up positions (A, B, C, D); and
removing the beverage containers ( 6 ) from the horizontal conveyor ( 10 ) by means of a lifting motion of the respective one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ).

2. The method ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , wherein for each row of the continuously guided beverage containers ( 6 ), the one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) respectively have at least one, but preferably more than one pick-up position (A, B, C, D).

3. The method ( 2 ) according to claim 2 , wherein during the further travelling movement and during the removal of the beverage containers ( 6 ) by means of the lifting motion thereof, the one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) are continuously moved in speed synchronism with the beverage containers ( 6 ) and in parallel to the conveying direction (FR) thereof.

4. The method ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the continuous movement of the beverage containers ( 6 ) is decelerated by at least one travelling stop ( 14 ) oriented transversely to the conveying direction (FR), and a speed of the stop ( 14 ) is taken into account when adapting the travelling movement of the one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ).

5. The method ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , comprising at least two gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) travelling consecutively in the conveying direction (FR), which are moved, during the travelling movement thereof, immediately before said travelling movement being respectively adapted, in speed synchronism with the beverage containers ( 6 ), wherein adaptation of the travelling movements thereof is done by a respective corrective offset in or against the conveying direction (FR) of the beverage containers ( 6 ) with immediately subsequent resumption of the speed-synchronous travelling movement, wherein the respective corrective offset is determined based on a difference between an expected nominal position of a beverage container and the acquired actual position of the beverage container.

6. The method ( 2 ) according to claim 5 , wherein a first corrective offset of a first of the at least two gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) leading in the conveying direction (FR) is performed by a first amount and a second corrective offset of a second of the at least two gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) trailing in the conveying direction (FR) is performed by a second amount, wherein the second amount is configured larger than the first amount.

7. The method ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at least two gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) synchronously perform a lowering motion for accepting the beverage containers ( 6 ) from the horizontal conveyor ( 10 ) and/or removal of the beverage containers ( 6 ) from the horizontal conveyor ( 10 ).

8. The method ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the actual position (IP) of the one or more continuously moved beverage containers ( 6 ) is acquired by one or more photoelectric sensors ( 19 ) with a detection area (DE) oriented vertically to the conveying direction of the beverage containers.

9. The method ( 2 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) has first pick-up positions (A) for beverage containers ( 6 ) of a first one of the rows guided in parallel and second pick-up positions (B) for beverage containers of a second one of the rows guided in parallel, wherein depending on the acquired actual position (IP) of the beverage containers ( 6 ) the first pick-up positions (A) are adjusted in relation to the second pick-up positions (B) in or against the conveying direction (FR) of the beverage containers ( 6 ).

10. The method ( 2 ) according to claim 9 , wherein at least two gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) are present with first and second pick-up positions (A, B) respectively adjustable in relation to each other in or against the conveying direction (FR), wherein a control unit (S) specifies an adjustment of the first and second pick-up positions (A, B) of a first one of the at least two gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) is performed taking into account an adjustment of the first and second pick-up positions (A, B) of a second one of the at least two gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ).

11. A system ( 1 ) for discharging beverage containers ( 6 ), which can be moved continuously in parallel rows in an ordered and at least approximately closed mass flow, comprising
a horizontal conveyor ( 10 ) configured to convey the beverage containers ( 6 ) in a conveying direction (FR),
one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ),
at least one detection device ( 17 ) for acquiring an actual position (IP) of the beverage containers ( 6 ) in the conveying direction, and
a control unit (S) which is brought into operative connection with the at least one detection device ( 17 ) and the one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) such that the control unit (S) can adjust a travelling movement, oriented in parallel to the conveying direction (FR) of the beverage containers ( 6 ), of the one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) whilst taking into account the acquired actual position (LP),
wherein the one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) respectively have one or more pick-up positions (A, B, C, D) which are configured for accepting the beverage containers ( 6 ) via a lowering motion of the one or more gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) with subsequent removal of the beverage containers ( 6 ) from the horizontal conveyor ( 10 ) chronologically after adaptation of the travelling movement.

12. The system ( 1 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the detection device ( 17 ) comprises at least one, but preferably several photoelectric sensors ( 19 ) arranged along a conveyor line of the beverage containers ( 6 ), wherein the detection range (DE) of the at least one photoelectric sensor ( 19 ) extends vertically to the conveying direction (FR) of the beverage containers ( 6 ).

13. The system according to claim 11 , comprising at least two gripping heads ( 3 a , 3 b , 3 c ) able to consecutively travel in the conveying direction (FR), which, during the travelling movement thereof, immediately before the respective adaptation thereof, are movable in speed synchronism with the beverage containers ( 6 ), wherein the control unit (S) can spec

Assignees

• Krones Ag

Inventors

• Lindauer Matthias

Classifications

• B65B21/18

  using grippers engaging bottles, e.g. bottle necks · CPC title

• B65G47/907 Primary

  with at least two picking-up heads · CPC title

• B65B57/14

  and operating to control, or stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged · CPC title

• B65B21/20

  with means for varying spacing of bottles · CPC title