Device for unloading insulating glass panels from production line, installation comprising such device and method for unloading insulating glass panels from production line

Abstract

An apparatus (100) for unloading insulating glass panels (1) from a production line (10) comprises an insertion device (200) provided with: a conveyor (202) adapted to convey insulating glass panels (1) in a direction (x) from an entrance area close to the production line (10) to an exit area for said panels; and a vertical support structure (102) for holding the insulating glass in an inclined position with respect to the vertical direction. The insertion device (200) comprises positioning means (205) adapted to position rigid separation means (201) above the conveyor (202) such that they can be placed between the insulating glass panels (1) and the conveyor (202).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a device for unloading insulating glass panels from a production line, an installation comprising such a device, and a method for unloading insulating glass panels from a production line. Background Art

[0002] Insulating glass generally means two or more facing glass sheets separated by specific spacers to form one or more gaps (possibly filled with a gas other than air) between the two or more facing glass sheets and to form a housing along the perimeter for sealing the materials.

[0003] As is known, a highly automated insulating glass production line usually consists of several machines, where the end machine consists of the following automatic machines: a spacer profile applicator for forming a spacer frame; a coupler, a gas loader, a coining machine; and a sealing machine.

[0004] The movement of the insulating glass panel (hereinafter also referred to as "panel") being processed occurs in a vertical or "almost vertical" position, the glass panel being typically positioned at 6° relative to the vertical direction.

[0005] At the end of the production process, the manufactured items are usually unloaded from the production line manually or with the help of appropriate aids, if the weight of the panels does not allow the operator to perform the operation directly.

[0006] After the insulating glass is unloaded from the production line, the insulating glass is placed in an appropriate rack or shelf, waits the time required for the secondary sealant to catalyze, and then is moved to the next production department or shipped to the customer.

[0007] Another operation that is usually required after unloading from the production line is the reorganization of the panels according to the order that produced the panel product. In fact, in terms of production line productivity and the previous organization of the production process, it is often convenient to combine the production of items belonging to different customer orders, for example according to the characteristics of the glass used, the type and thickness of the spacers, or the type of secondary sealant. Therefore, at the end of production, the insulating glasses belonging to the same customer order must be grouped together and prepared for shipment.

[0008] It is easy to understand that automating and computerizing this reorganization operation has great advantages in reducing labor costs, operator safety and production space usage.

[0009] Another problem known to those skilled in the art arises when using thermoplastic spacers. In this case, as long as the secondary sealant does not reach a sufficient level of catalysis, the panel cannot withstand the mechanical stresses and may deform, resulting in non-compliance with the required geometric requirements. This characteristic leads to the need for constant support of the glass sheets forming the panel.

[0010] This phenomenon is also common in other types of spacers, especially in the case of panels with three glass sheets, for which it is always convenient to have both the outer and middle glass sheets adequately supported. In fact, when used with rigid spacers, primary butyl sealants also have the problem of sliding from the glass sheet that is not adequately supported at the bottom.

[0011] In addition, relative to the use of thermoplastic spacers, when performing storage operations on racks that are inclined several degrees (typically 4 to 6 degrees) relative to the vertical direction, it is necessary to avoid positioning several panels adjacent to each other, because the compression of the first stored panels may cause unacceptable deformation thereof, while the glass sheets forming the panels may be significantly closer.

[0012] For these reasons, there is a need to automate the unloading of insulating glass panels from the production line, the storage of insulating glass panels, and the reorganization of insulating glass panels to group items together based on the specifications of individual customer orders. Furthermore, in the case of thermoplastic spacers, it is advantageous to arrange each panel individually to avoid overlapping with other panels, at least during the time required for the secondary sealant to catalyze.

[0013] In the search for possible solutions to meet these needs, the prior art has considered applying technologies already used for glass sheets that, after the cutting step, will be sorted to subsequent production lines, such as insulating glass production lines, or grinding and / or drilling production lines, tempering production lines, etc. Systems and machines of this type are known and described in several documents, for example, in US5511671A, a system is described that takes out glass panels from a horizontal cutting line, orients them in the vertical direction, transfers them in a reorganized manner to a storage module by means of a shuttle, and then takes out the glass panels and provides them to subsequent production departments.

[0014] However, apart from the obvious need for adaptation according to the different sizes and weights involved, the use of already known systems for automating the movement, storage and reorganization of products after an insulating glass production line presents the problems described below.

[0015] In practice, the application of the secondary sealant is not always accurate enough to prevent the support system against which the insulating glass rests from coming into contact with the sealant which has not yet been catalyzed. Since the catalysis level is not sufficient, any type of sealant becomes viscous and thus stains the part designed to support and transport the insulating glass from below. Over time (usually a few hours, depending on the environmental conditions and the nature of the product used), the secondary sealant changes from the consistency of ordinary toothpaste to a much greater consistency, thus having the ability to adhere firmly to the transport device. As production continues, the situation becomes increasingly worse and there will then be small areas but large amounts of sealant deposited on the transport device.

[0016] A solution to this type of problem is proposed in EP 0 671 534 B1, which describes the application of a strip to the lower portion of the insulating glass to prevent the recently applied sealant from coming into contact with the conveying elements and the support elements. Although this solution is effective in maintaining the integrity of the support and conveying system, it has the disadvantage of preventing the secondary sealant from being properly catalyzed in certain cases, especially for those materials that react with moisture in the air. In addition, the use of a permeable strip does not always avoid slowing down the process. Such a risk is not acceptable to insulating glass manufacturers, and even less so to sealing material manufacturers: in fact, the incorrect use of the catalyst can jeopardize the functionality and durability of the finished product. In addition, the strip needs to be removed manually before the insulating glass is installed, which generates waste and leads to increased production costs. In addition, the width of the strip also needs to be calibrated according to the overall thickness of the insulating glass panel, so automation is complicated by the application of the strip. Summary of the invention

[0017] Therefore, there is a need to address the shortcomings and limitations mentioned in the referenced prior art.

[0018] Therefore, there is a need to provide an apparatus and method for unloading insulating glass panels from a production line, thereby allowing the steps of unloading and conveying the panels after they have been assembled and sealed to be made more efficient.

[0019] Furthermore, it is considered desirable to have an apparatus and a method which would allow a certain flexibility in the management of production, freeing it from the several limitations which currently have to be taken into account, and which would allow a rational management of all the steps downstream of the method until shipment or delivery to another department for subsequent processing.

[0020] Again, it is considered necessary to prevent injuries by increasing the automation of operations and reducing the risks to which operators are exposed.

[0021] This need is at least partially met by an apparatus for unloading insulating glass panels from a production line according to claim 1 , an installation according to claim 21 and a method for unloading insulating glass panels from a production line according to claim 22 . BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment given by way of non-limiting example, in the accompanying drawings:

[0023] - Figure 1 schematically shows an axonometric view of a possible embodiment of the device according to the invention;

[0024] - Figures 2 to 10 each schematically shows a sequence of certain steps of a method according to a possible embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] - Fig.11 schematically shows an axonometric view of a possible embodiment of a part of the device according to the invention;

[0026] - Fig.12 schematically illustrates elements of a device according to a possible embodiment of the invention;

[0027] - Fig.13 Schematically shows a side view of a part of a device according to a possible embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] - Fig.14 and Fig.15 schematically shows a possible configuration of a part of a device according to a possible embodiment of the present invention; and

[0029] - Fig.16 Possible steps of a method according to an embodiment of the invention are schematically shown.

[0030] Elements or parts of elements that are common to the embodiments described below will be denoted by the same reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] exist Figure 1 In the drawings, reference numeral 100 denotes an apparatus for unloading insulating glass panels 1 from a production line 10 .

[0032] The device 100 can be used to unload the insulating glass 1 from the production line and to transport, store and reassemble the insulating glass 1 .

[0033] In essence, the apparatus comprises an insertion device 200 provided with a conveyor 202 adapted to transport the insulating glass panels 1 along a direction x from an entry zone close to the production line 10 to an exit zone for said panels, and a vertical support structure 102 for holding the insulating glass in an inclined position relative to the vertical direction. For example, the inclination may be about 6°.

[0034] The insertion device 200 comprises a positioning device 205 which is suitable for positioning the rigid separating device 201 above said conveyor 202 so that the rigid separating device 201 can be placed between the insulating glass panel 1 and the conveyor 202 .

[0035] According to a possible embodiment, the device 200 comprises handling means 204 for positioning the conveyor 202 between a delivery position for the panel in question and a lowered position relative to the preceding panel, in order to insert the separation device 201 by means of positioning means 205 .

[0036] The handling device 204 may include an electric device, an electro-pneumatic device, a pneumatic device, a hydraulic device, and / or a combination lifting cylinder device.

[0037] In order not to make the reading unnecessarily difficult, solutions and details known to the person skilled in the art such as, for example, the type of motorization for the conveyor have not been described in detail.

[0038] According to a possible implementation, the positioning device 205 may include:

[0039] a support plate 212 on which a plurality of separating devices 201 can be positioned side by side and oriented substantially parallel to the conveying direction x of the panel 1 ; and

[0040] - a shaped upper plate 209 provided with at least one longitudinal seat 214 facing the support plate 212, suitable for at least partially housing at least one separation device 201, suitable for the following movements:

[0041] (a) the shaped upper plate 209 moves toward and away from the support plate 212 upon command to engage at least one separation device 201; and

[0042] (b) The shaped upper plate 209 is moved in a lateral direction over the support plate 212 to move at least one separation device toward the conveyor 202.

[0043] The positioning device 205 may include actuating devices 207, 208 that allow for (a) movement and (b) movement.

[0044] According to a possible embodiment, the insertion device 200 may include an automatic loader 203 suitable for automatically supplying the positioning device 205 .

[0045] like Fig.11 As shown, the automatic loader 203 may include a handling device 206, which includes a motorized device 218, which is connected to a reducer 219, and the reducer 219 drives a worm 220, which is suitable for moving a loader support 221. The separation device 201 can be stacked on the loader support 221, so that the stacked parts of the separation device 201 can be lifted to bring the next separation device to the height of the support plate 212 for translation by the positioning device 205.

[0046] exist Fig.11 In the illustrated situation, the conveyor 202 is in a lowered position, ready to be raised by the cylindrical device 204 to its raised position and to insert the separating device 201 between the insulating glass 1 and the conveyor 101 (not shown in this figure).

[0047] According to a possible embodiment, the vertical support structure 102 of the insertion device 200 comprises a bracket 300 having a coupling device 303 , preferably a plurality of suction cups. The travel of the bracket 300 may extend upstream and downstream of the insertion device 200 .

[0048] The apparatus 100 may include a storage module 140 for storing insulating glass panels 1 from the insertion device 200 , the storage module 140 including a plurality of panel warehouses 141 , which are arranged along, for example, direction z but not necessarily perpendicular to direction x.

[0049] According to a possible implementation, the device 100 may include:

[0050] at least one conveyor 101 adapted to receive the insulating glass panel 1 from the insertion device 200 and adapted to move along a direction x;

[0051] at least one shuttle device 120 adapted to receive insulating glass panels 1 from at least one conveyor 101 and to supply them to the storage module 140, the at least one shuttle device 120 adapted to translate in a direction z in front of the panel warehouse 141; and

[0052] At least one withdrawal conveyor 101 ′ adapted to receive insulating glass panels 1 from at least one shuttle device 120 .

[0053] The shuttle device 120 can receive the insulating glass 1 from the conveyor 101 and can transport it laterally along the direction z to insert the insulating glass 1 into the storage module 140, or take the insulating glass 1 out of the storage module 140 to place the insulating glass 1 on one of the conveyors 101' towards the unloading area.

[0054] According to a possible embodiment, the apparatus 100 may comprise at least one unloading conveyor 160 comprising holding means 400 for separating the separating device 201 from the insulating glass panel 1 before removing the separating device 201 from the conveyor 160 .

[0055] The conveyor 160 is used to perform an operation of unloading the insulating glass 1 from the system 100 and arrange the insulating glass 1 on a rack for shipping or on any other device provided for this purpose.

[0056] The unloading conveyor may comprise a holding device 400 provided with at least one parallel pneumatic gripper 402 adapted to actuate a clamping device 401 to hold the separating device 201 when the insulating glass panel 1 is lifted, thereby separating the insulating glass panel 1 from the separating device 201. In this way, the separating device 201 can be reused after any cleaning and maintenance operations.

[0057] According to a possible embodiment, the separation device 201 may comprise a substantially rectangular elongated element 210 provided with a supporting insert 211 suitable for supporting at least one insulating glass panel 1 .

[0058] Advantageously, the elongated element 210 may be made of a polymer material, preferably PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and / or the supporting insert 211 may be made of a polymer material, preferably nitrile rubber (NBR).

[0059] The elongated element 210 can be made by connecting two different materials: a lower layer with a high friction coefficient, preferably, the lower layer is nitrile rubber; an upper layer made of a non-stick material, preferably, the upper layer is Teflon; even more preferably, an insert can be placed between the two layers of material, which is suitable for giving the separation device 201 the necessary mechanical stiffness characteristics.

[0060] The apparatus ( 100 ) may comprise side wheels 105 , 106 for guiding the separation device 201 laterally when it is transported on the conveyor 101 , 101 ′, 160 .

[0061] According to a possible embodiment, the device 100 may comprise means (not shown) for applying a non-stick substance at the separating device 201 , in particular at the supporting insert 211 , before using the separating device 201 .

[0062] According to a possible implementation, the device 100 may include a programmable control unit 170 operatively connected to a drive of the facility device 100 in order to manage the movement of components of the device 100 .

[0063] The control unit 170 can be used to manage all system operations to ensure sufficient residence time of the insulating glass 1 in the storage module 140 to comply with the catalysis or curing time of the sealing product before shipment and to reassemble it based on the customer order being shipped.

[0064] The invention also relates to a plant comprising an insulating glass production line 10 and an apparatus for unloading insulating glass panels 1 as described above.

[0065] A method for unloading insulating glass 1 from a production line 10 comprises the following steps:

[0066] (a) providing an apparatus for unloading insulating glass panels from a production line as described above;

[0067] (b) positioning the separation device 201 above the conveyor 202;

[0068] (c) pushing the insulating glass 1 above the separation device 201; and

[0069] (d) Pushing the insulating glass 1 supported by at least one separating device toward the conveyor 101 .

[0070] According to a possible implementation, the method comprises:

[0071] - a step (b') preceding step (b), in which the conveyor 202 is positioned in a lowered, inserted position of the separating device 201; and

[0072] - a step (c′) following step (c) in which the conveyor 202 is raised to its transport position until the separating device 201 is brought into contact with the lower portion of the insulating glass panel 1 .

[0073] According to a possible embodiment, during the transport of the insulating glass panel 1 on the conveyor 202 , the insulating glass panel is supported by the coupling means 303 of the carriage 300 .

[0074] Advantageously, by repeating steps (b) and (c), and possibly also steps (b′) and (c′), at least one further separating device 201 can be inserted between the conveyor 202 and the insulating glass 1 .

[0075] The method may comprise a step for applying a non-stick substance to the separation device 201. In this way, it is possible to facilitate maintenance and cleaning of the separation device 201. Typically, such substances are in liquid form and can therefore be easily applied by spraying or by contact with a suitable sponge previously moistened.

[0076] Fig.13 A side view of a detail of a conveyor 101 or 101 'is shown. When the insulating glass 1 is transported on the conveyor 101, it is supported on a vertical plane by a vertical structure 102 by means of wheels 104. Two other sets of wheels 105 and 106 (referred to as inner wheels and outer wheels, respectively) guide the separation device 201 laterally during movement along the conveyor 101 and 101 'and keep the separation device 201 in the correct position and into the storage module 140.

[0077] As shown in the above description, the separating device 201 remains matched with the insulating glass during all the movements required by the system 100, and the movement received by the separating device 201 from the conveyor of the system 100 is transmitted to the insulating glass 1 by friction. Therefore, the secondary sealant in a non-catalyzed or non-hardened and viscous state does not come into contact with the moving components, but only with the separating device. The separating device 201 is removed only after staying in the storage module 140 for the required time so that the sealant does not dirty the conveying components.

[0078] Fig.14 A side view of a holding device 400 for separating the insulating glass 1 from the separating device 201 is shown. These devices are arranged at the unloading conveyor 160, i.e. where the insulating glass is joined with the secondary sealant which is conveniently catalyzed and / or hardened, and so that the sealant does not foul these devices. Fig.14 In the embodiment, the transport kinematic system 103 consists of cylindrical rollers. This configuration allows the holding device 400 to be accommodated in the gap between one roller and the next. The insulating glass 1 rests on the separating device 201 due to its lower edge, and the separating device 201 rests on the transport kinematic system 103. The parallel pneumatic gripper 402 actuates the clamping device 401, such as Fig.14 As shown, the clamping device 401 is in the open position. Fig.15In the embodiment, the clamping device 401 is in a closed position to hold the separating device 201. At this point, the insulating glass 1 can be lifted to separate it from the separating device 201. Before lifting, it may be convenient to rotate the insulating glass 1 around the lower corner (operator side) of the insulating glass 1, such as Fig.15 as shown in .

[0079] According to possible implementations, the method for unloading the insulating glass 1 from the production line 10 and the method for conveying, storing and reassembling the insulating glass 1 performed by the automation system 100 may include the following steps:

[0080] - Position the insulating glass 1 on the conveyor 11 and at the end section 10 exit of the production line ( Figure 2 );

[0081] - Position the conveyor 202 in its lowered position ( Figure 2 );

[0082] - Position the separation device 201 above the conveyor 202 ( Figure 3 );

[0083] - partially advancing the insulating glass 1 above the conveyor 202 by actuating the conveyor 11;

[0084] - Raise the conveyor 202 to its raised position until the separating device 201 is in contact with the lower part of the insulating glass 1 ( Figure 5 );

[0085] - Advance the insulating glass 1 so that the insulating glass 1 is partially placed above the conveyor 101 ( Figure 6 ). This step is achieved by coordinated driving of the conveyors 11, 202 and 101;

[0086] - Lower the conveyor 202 to its lowered position ( Figure 7 );

[0087] - Inserting a further separation device 201 above the conveyor 202 ( Figure 8 ).

[0088] - The conveyor 202 is raised again to its raised position until the separating device 201 is brought into contact with the lower part of the insulating glass 1 ( Fig. 9 );

[0089] - The insulating glass 1 is advanced by coordinated actuation of the conveyor 202 and the conveyor 101;

[0090] - the transport of the insulating glass 1 towards the subsequent conveyor 101 is continued and the insulating glass 1 is loaded into the free chamber of the storage module 140 by means of the shuttle device 120;

[0091] - Manage the standby time of the insulating glass 1 in the storage module to achieve the required state for subsequent movement, packaging and shipping steps;

[0092] - the insulating glass 1 can be subsequently moved by the shuttle device 120 to reassemble the insulating glass 1 in the storage module 140;

[0093] - taking out the insulating glass 1 from the storage module 140 and conveying the insulating glass 1 to the conveyor 101 ′;

[0094] - Release the insulating glass 1 onto the conveyor 160 for manual or automatic unloading and packaging operations.

[0095] The sequence described above can also be modified, for example, by advancing the insulating glass 1 while the positioning device 205 places the separation device on the conveyor 202 .

[0096] Since the control unit 170 has all the geometrical and compositional data of the insulating glass 1 being conveyed, it is able to calculate the position of its center of gravity and therefore, based also on its length, the dimensions of the conveyor 202 and the distance between the conveyor 11 and the conveyor 101, can assess the risk that the insulating glass 1 is not properly supported by the conveyors 11 and 101 during all conveying steps on the conveyor 202. If such a risk is assessed, then Fig.16 As shown in FIG. 2 , before the insulating glass 1 is transported on the conveyor 202 , the insulating glass 1 can be coupled by a coupling device 303 of a bracket 300 and supported during all steps of the method.

[0097] Likewise, since the length of the insulating glass is known, the control unit 170 may be able to determine whether a single separating device alone is sufficient or whether it is necessary (as occurs in most cases) to insert more than one separating device between the conveyor 101 and the insulating glass 1 .

[0098] It may happen that the separating device 201 protrudes at the head or tail beyond the length of the insulating glass 1 : the control unit 170 can manage the movement of such insulating glass 1 by taking such information into account.

[0099] The positioning of the separating device 201 relative to the insulating glass 1 can also be determined by the control unit 170 to minimize the bending and cutting stresses to which the insulating glass 1 is subjected during the movement.

[0100] Furthermore, also through the available information, the control unit 170 may be able to determine the time required for each insulating glass to reach a state unloaded by the system 100, so as to be available for subsequent steps of the production process or for shipment. Such a time interval actually depends on the type of spacers and sealants used, environmental conditions such as humidity and temperature, and the amount of sealant used. This function allows the crossing time of each insulating glass 1 or each order comprising a plurality of insulating glasses 1 to be optimized, so as to make the entire logistics management more efficient and reduce production costs.

[0101] Advantageously, in a possible alternative embodiment, more than one automatic loader 203 and more than one positioning device 205 can be used, each of which is dedicated to a different type of separation device, for example to a separation device of different lengths. Thus, the control unit 170 can decide which size of separation device 201 to use depending on the size of the insulating glass being transported. It is also possible to use different materials to manufacture the separation device 201, so that the most suitable material is used again depending on the characteristics of the insulating glass 1. For the arrangement of more than one automatic loader 203 and more than one positioning device 205 known to the person skilled in the art, there are several possible configurations, such as a serial arrangement using additional conveyors 202, or a parallel arrangement on several planes to use a single conveyor 202, but with several positioning heights provided, one for each positioning device 205.

[0102] As is known to those skilled in the art, there can be multiple configurations for the described system 100, as well as systems for the movement, storage and reorganization of individual glass sheets that are well known and have been used for many years, which are identical to each other in terms of size, number of shuttle devices 120 used, number of storage modules 140, etc. It can be said that these types of systems are defined based on the specific needs of each individual end customer, and their characteristics depend on, for example, available space, product type, production capacity, etc.

[0103] The invention has undergone several structural variations, all falling within the scope of equivalence with the inventive concept, so that, for example and in particular, the mechanical solution implemented for the conveyors 101, 101', 160 and 202 can be of the belt or roller type, moved by different types of kinematic systems known to those skilled in the art, and the wheel 104 for supporting the insulating glass 1 in an almost vertical position can be replaced by an air cushion system, the length of the separation device can again vary based on the specific needs of the customer, the means for actuating the various movements can be electric, electro-electronic, pneumatic, hydraulic and / or combined devices, etc.

[0104] In order to meet specific requirements, a person skilled in the art may modify the embodiments described above or replace the described elements with equivalent elements without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device (100) for unloading insulating glass panels (1) from a production line (10), the device (100) comprising an insertion device (200), the insertion device (200) being arranged with: a conveyor (202), the conveyor (202) being adapted to convey the insulating glass panels (1) along a direction (x) from an entry area near the production line (10) to an exit area for the panels; and a vertical support structure (102), the vertical support structure (102) being used to keep the insulating glass in an inclined position relative to the vertical direction; in, In the insertion device (200), the separation device (201) is positioned above the conveyor (202) so that the separation device (201) can be placed between the insulating glass panel (1) and the conveyor (202).

2. The device (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The apparatus (100) comprises positioning means (205) adapted to position the separating device (201) above the conveyor (202).

3. The device (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The device (200) comprises handling means (204) for positioning the conveyor (202) between a transport position for the panel and a lowered position relative to the preceding panel in order to insert the separation device (201) with the aid of the positioning means (205).

4. The device (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The handling device (204) includes an electric device, an electro-pneumatic device, a pneumatic device, a hydraulic device and / or a combined lifting cylinder device.

5. The device (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that The positioning device (205) comprises: a support plate (212) on which a plurality of separation devices (201) can be positioned side by side and oriented substantially parallel to the conveying direction (x) of the panel (1); and - a shaped upper plate (209), the shaped upper plate (209) being provided with at least one longitudinal seat (214) facing the support plate (212), the longitudinal seat (214) being suitable for at least partially accommodating at least one separation device (201), the shaped upper plate (209) being suitable for performing the following movements: (a) the shaped upper plate (209) moves toward and away from the support plate (212) in response to instructions to engage at least one separation device (201); and (b) the shaped upper plate (209) is moved in a lateral direction above the support plate (212) to move at least one of the separation devices toward the conveyor (202).

6. Device (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The positioning device (205) comprises an actuating device (207, 208) which allows (a) movement and (b) displacement.

7. The device (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that The insertion device (200) comprises an automatic loader (203) adapted to automatically supply the positioning device (205).

8. Device (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The automatic loader (203) includes a handling device (206), the handling device (206) includes a motorized device (218), the motorized device (218) is connected to a reducer (219), the reducer (219) drives a worm (220), the worm (220) is suitable for moving a support member (221) of the loader, and the separation device (201) can be stacked on the support member (221) of the loader, so that the stacked parts of the separation device (201) can be lifted to bring the next separation device to the height of the support plate (212) so that it can be translated by the positioning device (205).

9. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The vertical support structure (102) of the insertion device (200) comprises a bracket (300), and the bracket (300) has a connecting device (303). Preferably, the connecting device (303) is a plurality of suction cups.

10. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The device (100) includes a storage module (140), which is used to store the insulating glass panel (1) from the insertion device (200), and the storage module (140) includes a plurality of panel warehouses (141), and the plurality of panel warehouses (141) are arranged along a direction (z) substantially perpendicular to the direction (x).

11. The device (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The device (100) comprises: at least one conveyor (101), the at least one conveyor (101) being adapted to receive the insulating glass panel (1) from the insertion device (200), and the at least one conveyor (101) being adapted to move along a direction (x); - at least one shuttle device (120), the at least one shuttle device (120) being suitable for receiving the insulating glass panels (1) from the at least one conveyor (101) and supplying them to the storage module (140), the at least one shuttle device (120) being suitable for translating in front of the panel warehouse (141) along the direction (z); and - at least one take-away conveyor (101') adapted to receive said insulating glass panel (1) from said at least one shuttle device (120).

12. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The apparatus (100) comprises at least one unloading conveyor (160), the at least one unloading conveyor (160) comprising a holding device (400) for separating the separating device (201) from the insulating glass panel (1) before removing the separating device (201) from the conveyor (160).

13. The device (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The holding device (400) comprises at least one parallel pneumatic gripper (402), which is suitable for actuating a clamping device (401) to hold the separating device (201) during lifting of the insulating glass panel (1) from the separating device (201).

14. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The separation device (201) comprises a substantially rigid element, which is suitable for repeated use.

15. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The separation device (201) comprises a substantially rectangular elongated element (210) arranged with a supporting insert (211) adapted to support at least one insulating glass panel (1).

16. Device (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The elongated element (210) is made of a polymer material, preferably polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and / or the supporting insert (211) is made of a polymer material, preferably nitrile rubber (NBR).

17. The device (100) according to claim 15, characterized in that The elongated element (210) is made by connecting the following two different materials: a lower layer with a high friction coefficient, preferably, the lower layer is nitrile rubber; an upper layer as a non-stick material, preferably, the upper layer is polyteflon, and even more preferably, an insert is placed between the two layers of material, and the insert is suitable for giving the separation device (201) the necessary mechanical stiffness characteristics.

18. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The device (100) comprises side wheels (105, 106) for laterally guiding the separation device (201) during its transport on the conveyor (101, 101', 160).

19. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The device (100) comprises means for applying a non-stick substance at the separation device (201) before using the separation device (201).

20. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The device (100) comprises a programmable control unit (170) which is operably connected to a drive of the device (100) to manage the movement of the relevant components.

21. An installation comprising a production line (10) of insulating glass (1) and a device (100) for unloading insulating glass panels (1) from the production line (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.

22. A method for unloading insulating glass (1) from a production line (10), the method comprising the following steps: (a) providing an apparatus for unloading insulating glass panels from a production line according to any one of claims 1 to 18; (b) positioning a separation device (201) above the conveyor (202); (c) pushing the insulating glass (1) above the separation device (201); as well as (d) advancing the insulating glass (1) supported by at least one separating device toward the conveyor (101).

23. Method for unloading insulating glass panels (1) from a production line (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The method comprises: - a step (b') preceding step (b), in which step (b') the conveyor (202) is positioned in a lowered insertion position of the separation device (201); and - a step (c') subsequent to step (c), in which the conveyor 202 is raised to its transport position until the separating device (201) is brought into contact with the lower portion of the insulating glass panel (1).

24. A method for unloading insulating glass panels (1) from a production line (10) according to any one of claims 22 to 23, characterized in that: During the transport of the insulating glass panel (1) on the conveyor (202), the insulating glass panel is supported by the coupling device (303) of the bracket (300).

25. A method for unloading insulating glass panels (1) from a production line (10) according to any one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that: By repeating steps (b) and (c), and possibly also steps (b') and (c'), at least one further separating device (201) is inserted between the conveyor (202) and the insulating glass (1).

26. A method for unloading insulating glass panels (1) from a production line (10) according to any one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that: The method comprises a step for applying a non-stick substance to the separation device (201).

27. A method for unloading insulating glass panels (1) from a production line (10) according to any one of claims 22 to 26, characterized in that: The method comprises steps for rearranging the insulating glass panel (1) according to specific needs.

28. A method for unloading insulating glass panels (1) from a production line (10) according to any one of claims 22 to 27, characterized in that: The method comprises the steps of retaining the insulating glass panel (1) in the storage module (140) until the panel is ready for subsequent steps and / or shipment.

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