System comprising a conveying device and a scale

Abstract

The utility model relates to a land-saving system which is preferably designed to be a conveying device of a processing station and composed of a scale at the downstream of the conveying device, a weighing belt is directly connected with the conveying device and ensures that products only reach the weighing belt in an unclamped state through a releasing part of the conveying device because the length of the weighing belt is not smaller than that of the releasing part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to a system formed by a conveying device and a scale. Background Art

[0002] It is known in the industrial production of products that such products are conveyed through processing lines and undergo different processing steps at the same time. Thus, the product can, for example, be marked, checked for compliance with certain predetermined values, closed, packaged, printed, scanned, transmitted, inspected, verified or processed in any other way, wherein this will be simplified and referred to collectively as the term "processing" below. The product can also be weighed after processing in order to perform further processing steps, for example, based on the weight. This may, for example, involve compliance with a minimum weight or a completeness check. In theory, it can also be determined by weight whether the product, for example, has a packaging leaflet attached or has had sealing wax applied to it.

[0003] It is known here to convey the product with a conveyor device, wherein an upper conveyor belt and a lower conveyor belt are arranged vertically one above the other, and the product sandwiched between them is processed and simultaneously conveyed in a conveying direction X. A weighing belt of a scale arranged downstream of the conveyor device takes over the processed product for further conveying and simultaneous weighing.

[0004] The disadvantage here is that the product, in particular at the moment when its rear end in the conveying direction is released from the clamping between the two superposed belts, tends to jump, slip or move in any other uncontrolled or undesired way. It is therefore not possible to transfer it to the weighing belt in a controlled manner without causing disturbing impacts on the scale. Therefore, in practice, people try to arrange a transfer belt between the conveyor device and the weighing belt, on which the product is conveyed from the conveyor device to the weighing belt in an unclamped state and can then be transferred "smoothly" to the weighing belt. However, this has a negative impact on the required overall structural length of the "conveyor device and weighing belt" system. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages. The present invention is based on the following recognition: a particularly short configuration of the above-mentioned system can be achieved by combining a plurality of structural features of the system. On the one hand, the weighing belt is positioned in the conveying direction X directly adjacent to the lower conveyor belt so that the product weight is directly transferred from the lower conveyor belt to the weighing belt during product conveying. As a result, the overall structural length of the scale and the conveying device in the conveying direction X is minimized.

[0006] On the other hand, the conveyor device is equipped with a release section, which allows the product to be completely unclamped (released state) before it is transferred from the conveyor device to the weighing belt to avoid collision with the weighing belt. The conveyor device is designed as follows:

[0007] The upper and lower conveyor belts are each guided as endless belts around the respective upper belt carrier or lower belt carrier, wherein at least the upper belt carrier has a belt support for this purpose. During its circulation around the upper belt carrier, the upper conveyor belt slides along the belt support in a form-fitting manner at least on the bottom side thereof facing the lower belt carrier. The mutually facing parts of the upper and lower conveyor belts have a belt spacing Z between them in a height direction Z orthogonal to the conveying direction X. B The belt support comprises a straight clamping section facing the lower conveyor belt, which extends in the conveying direction X and parallel to the straight clamping section of the lower belt guide at a predetermined height interval. This ensures that the product clamped between the upper and lower conveyor belts is conveyed stably and in accordance with regulations in the conveying direction X.

[0008] According to the utility model, the belt support also has a release portion facing the downward conveyor belt, which starts from a joint position defined along the conveying direction X and is connected to the upper clamping portion in the conveying direction X and with a release length. The release portion extends at least partially above the lower clamping portion, wherein, according to the utility model, the belt spacing increases along the release length to a sufficient extent so that the clamping state of the product when it is conveyed along the conveying direction is released. Preferably, the release portion faces the front end of the weighing belt in the conveying direction X and forms the front end of the belt support at the same time. In addition, as described above, a scale having a preloaded drivable weighing belt is provided, and the weighing belt extends in the conveying direction X to a predetermined weighing belt length, so as to fully release, take over, weigh and further convey the product supplied by the conveying device. According to the utility model, it is also stipulated that the weighing belt length is not shorter than the release length.

[0009] The cooperation of these features leads to the advantage of the invention, namely that the processed products clamped in the conveyor device can be transferred to the following weighing belt in a space-saving arrangement, because, unlike the prior art, the products are completely released when they are transferred to the weighing belt. By means of the invention, it is ensured that all products are safely released and can be weighed correctly with the scale by matching the release length to the weighing belt length. If the release length exceeds the weighing belt length, the products whose length roughly corresponds to the release length cannot be completely placed on the weighing belt and cannot be weighed correctly (in the present application, "length" always refers to the length along the conveying direction X, unless otherwise explained).

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment, the weighing belt length is determined according to the maximum length of the product to be weighed in the conveying direction X. When determining a meaningful belt length, it is possible to take into account the loss of a certain transition time t after the product is completely placed on the weighing belt. E until all transient processes have decayed sufficiently to allow convincing measured values ​​to be determined. B Movement, so the belt length selected according to the product length can also be added with a transition margin L according to the following formula E:

[0011] L E =(V B ·t E )+L C

[0012] Among them, V B = Predeterminable belt speed of weighing belt, t E = Predictable transition time, L C = empirically or otherwise determined or predeterminable, variable or constant correction value.

[0013] As weighing belt length, here, according to variant a), the wheelbase of two deflecting elements, in particular deflecting rollers, which each deflect the weighing belt in opposite directions, may be suitable.

[0014] In theory, however, the product to be weighed can protrude beyond the axis of the deflection element forwards and / or backwards at least by the distance that the deflection element or roller extends in the conveying direction X. In such a variant b), the weighing belt length corresponds to the length according to variant a) plus the radius of the respective deflection element on both sides (in the case of two rollers of the same diameter, the addition is exactly one roller diameter). If a transition piece that forms a preload (for example in the form of a short metal strip, etc., see below) is provided upstream or downstream of the original weighing belt, its extension in the conveying direction X can also increase the weighing belt length.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the release section comprises a straight section, so that the belt spacing increases linearly along the release length. This ensures a smooth and smooth transition of the product from the clamped state to the unclamped state during its movement in the conveying direction X. Depending on the requirements, the release section can also have a different profile along which the upper conveyor belt is guided vertically, for example in a curved or non-circular direction.

[0016] According to another advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the release portion

[0017] a) is designed to be integral with or rigidly connected to the upper clamping part (thereby reducing the number of parts and the installation effort, while the stability of the belt support or upper belt carrier is improved), and / or

[0018] b) connected to the upper clamping part through an arc portion on the side facing the lower clamping part (such an arc portion is easy to process and is particularly suitable for turning the upper conveyor belt from the clamping part to the release part), and / or

[0019] c) movable relative to the upper clamping part, in particular pivotable and adjustable (whereby the conveying device can be adapted to different release requirements or product geometries).

[0020] The belt support preferably extends over the entire length of the upper belt carrier and defines therein the guidance of the upper conveyor belt in the XZ direction as it circulates. The belt support then corresponds substantially or completely to the upper belt carrier. The belt support can be designed and formed as a circumferential, preferably closed, in any case extending parallel to the transverse direction Y, thus generally extending horizontally and preferably integral support surface for the upper conveyor belt, along which the conveyor belt slides as it circulates. Deflection rollers or drive rollers can be provided only at the front and / or rear end of the upper belt carrier, as seen in the conveying direction X, which, instead of the belt support, are responsible for deflecting the conveyor belt into the respectively opposite direction.

[0021] The lower clamping portion extends to the front end in the conveying direction X, wherein the distance between the engagement position and the front end of the lower clamping portion measured in the conveying direction X is at least 20 mm, preferably at least 50 mm, and most preferably greater than 80 mm, so that the clamping of the correspondingly long product can be cancelled before the conveyed product reaches the front end of the lower clamping portion.

[0022] Furthermore, according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the release length itself may also have a predetermined length, which is preferably at least 20 mm, preferably at least 50 mm, and most preferably greater than 80 mm.

[0023] Preferably, the upper belt guide mechanism is movably positionable and fixable relative to the lower belt guide mechanism in the height direction Z, so as to be able to clamp and convey products of different heights.

[0024] According to another advantageous embodiment of the utility model, at least one processing station is arranged on the conveying device and is designed to process the product that is completely clamped between the upper clamping part and the lower clamping part. In this case, complete clamping means that the product is fixed in the height direction Z and in the lateral direction Y extending orthogonally to the conveying direction X and the height direction Z. During the processing, the product can also be moved only in the conveying direction X, for which the upper and lower conveyor belts can be driven in a targeted manner. As processing, it is particularly considered to mark the product (printing, bonding, spraying, etc.) and / or detect and / or verify features or marks with electromagnetic and / or optical recognition means. Preferably, the processing is carried out while the product moves along the conveying direction X. Preferably, the product remains completely clamped between the upper and lower conveyor belts during its conveying process, at least until all processing operations predetermined along the conveying device have been completed. This is important when products that are poorly clamped or not clamped at all cannot be processed correctly. Therefore, products that do not move as required are difficult to print and may avoid the pressing force of the labeling system. If the product moves or is moved not only in the conveying direction X, but also in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, the inkjet printed image to be applied to the product may also appear distorted and difficult to read. If the product can also move transverse to the conveying direction X, reading a marking (RFID code, barcode, QR code, etc.) from the product may also become difficult.

[0025] According to the invention, the weighing belt length is related to the release length. In addition, the release length can also be determined according to a predetermined length range, which covers the length of the shortest product to be processed or to be transported and to be weighed, but at most the length of the longest product. It is therefore also possible to design or set the processing and conveying device for a group of products of different lengths. The maximum product length determines the minimum length of the release section. It is also conceivable that the length of the release section that has a release effect is arranged variably or adjustably, so as to be able to respond to different product lengths. For example, the release section can be completely or partially positioned and fixed on the upper belt carrier movably along a slot or other sliding guide groove.

[0026] Of course, each of the above-mentioned belts (conveyor belt, weighing belt) can also be formed by or replaced by a plurality of separate belts, belts or strips, provided that the respective conveying function or weighing function is met. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The following will explain the implementation of the present invention in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show:

[0028] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a system according to the present invention, and

[0029] Figure 2 is a side view of a system according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Figure 1 and Figure 2 A detail of a processing line is shown with a system A, which comprises a scale W and a conveyor F. The conveyor F is designed to convey products P in a conveying direction X. Here, the products P move along processing stations M, M' in order to be processed (printed, labels scanned, etc.) by means of the processing stations.

[0031] The processing is carried out while the product P is clamped, so as to avoid any undesirable relative movement of the product during the processing. The conveying device F comprises a lower conveyor belt B for this purpose. u , the lower conveyor belt is parallel to the upper conveyor belt B in the height direction Z O Each conveyor belt is connected to the upper belt carrier or the lower belt carrier F BO 、F Bu Carrying, wherein each belt carrier is equipped with a drive mechanism (not shown) for the respective conveyor belt. Figure 1 In the illustrated example of FIG. 1 , two laterally spaced belt carriers or conveyor belts are shown, respectively. Such an arrangement allows for stable conveying of the product and also allows access to the top and bottom sides of the product by passing between the horizontally spaced belt carriers for certain processes. The upper belt carrier or the lower belt carrier are both mutually referenceable, so the following description may be limited to either belt carrier.

[0032] Upper belt carrier F BO Including belt support F O , upper conveyor belt B O With carrier F around it BO The tape slides along the belt support and is supported in a form-fitting manner. O With downward conveyor belt B u Straight clamping part K O . Clamping part K O Parallel to the lower belt carrier F Bu The vertical clamping part K u The product P can thus be clamped by the upper and lower clamping parts or the conveyor belts B supported by them. O , B u The material is clamped between them while it is transported in the transport direction (X) by the driven conveyor belt.

[0033] If especially in Figure 2 As can be seen in the figure, the upper clamping part K follows in the conveying direction X. O The next is the release section T. Starting from the engagement position XT, the release section T is also substantially connected to the upper clamping section K in the conveying direction X. O The upper belt carrier is connected and has a length LT referred to here as the release length. A deflection roller (not specifically indicated) is provided at the front free end of the upper belt carrier, which deflects the upper conveyor belt B guided along the release section T. O Deflect or return to the top side of the belt carrier. With support F O The release portion T extends to near the deflection roller. In a similar manner, the lower belt carrier F Bu The deflection roller is provided at the front end viewed in the conveying direction X. u Extends to the vicinity of the steering roller.

[0034] The release portion T is basically designed as a straight section T G , which extends slightly upward at a gentle angle α. Therefore, along the release length LT, the product P conveyed in the conveying direction X and first clamped between the conveyor belts is gradually released until its rear end also reaches the slightly raised release portion T. Due to the belt spacing Z between the upper conveyor belt and the lower conveyor belt B The opening T increases, so the clamping effect decreases accordingly, so that when the product P reaches the lower clamping part K with its front edge u The effective front end X Ku When , product P has been completely released.

[0035] In the conveying direction X, the weighing belt B of the scale W arranged downstream of the conveying device W With lower conveyor belt B u Next. Select weighing belt BW The arrangement is that the lower conveyor belt B u The conveyed product P will transfer its gravity from the lower conveyor belt B u Directly transferred to weighing belt B W In particular, the arrangement of an additional intermediate conveyor belt or another support surface known from the prior art is omitted. Thus, the scale with its weighing belt can approach and be very close to the conveyor device in order to save the overall length in the X direction.

[0036] Weighing belt B W With weighing belt length L BW , which in the case shown corresponds to the entire X extension of the weighing belt. In addition, the weighing belt length L BW is selected so that it corresponds at least to the release length L T This ensures that the scale W can weigh in an orderly manner any product that is transferred to it by the conveying device F arranged upstream in a completely released state.

[0037] The arrangement of the weighing belt "immediately after" the lower conveyor belt according to the utility model should be understood as that no components protruding into the conveying plane are arranged between the weighing belt and the lower conveyor belt, which unnecessarily increase the spacing between the conveyor belt and the weighing belt. However, according to one embodiment of the utility model, it is conceivable to arrange a short transition piece, in particular a short support plate, which is used to cover the inevitable, for example wedge-shaped transition gap or roller gap between the front deflection roller of the lower conveyor belt and the rear deflection roller of the weighing belt immediately after the lower conveyor belt. The transition piece can be located at the height of the conveying plane defined by the top side of the lower conveyor belt or the weighing belt connected thereto. In this case, the transition piece supports the product when crossing the gap.

[0038] The transition piece can be mounted on the weighing belt and thus form a preload. This preferred embodiment allows the weighing signal to be received when the product has reached the transition piece but has not yet reached the weighing belt itself. Alternatively, the transition piece can also be part of the conveyor. It is then not a preload. This also applies to the third conceivable case, in which the transition piece is carried by a frame that is neither associated with the scale nor with the conveyor. A similar transition piece can also be provided on the downstream side of the weighing belt.

[0039] Reference numerals list

[0040] A System

[0041] B O Upper conveyor belt

[0042] B u Lower conveyor belt

[0043] B W Weighing belt

[0044] F Conveying device

[0045] F BO Upper belt carrier

[0046] F Bu Lower belt carrier

[0047] F O With support

[0048] K O Upper clamping part

[0049] K u Lower clamping part

[0050] L BW Weighing belt length along X direction

[0051] LT Release length, length of the release part along the X direction

[0052] L C Correction value

[0053] L E Transition margin

[0054] M, M′ processing station

[0055] P Product to be transported

[0056] t E Transition Time

[0057] T Release

[0058] T G Straight section of the release (T)

[0059] V B Belt speed

[0060] W scale

[0061] X conveying direction

[0062] X Ku Lower clamping part (K u )

[0063] X T Engagement position

[0064] Z height direction

[0065] Z B With spacing

Claims

1. A system (A) comprising a conveying device (F) and a scale (W), a) Among them, The conveying device (F) is designed to convey products (P) in a conveying direction (X) and comprises: a1) At least one upper conveyor belt (B O ) and at least one lower conveyor belt (B) arranged below the upper conveyor belt in a height direction (Z) extending orthogonal to the conveying direction (X) U ), a2) wherein the upper conveyor belt and the lower conveyor belt (B O , B U ) as a circulating belt around the upper belt carrier or the lower belt carrier (F BO , F BU ) is guided, and wherein at least the upper belt carrier (F BO ) for this purpose has a belt support (F O ), the upper conveyor belt slides along the belt support in a form-fitting manner, a3) wherein the upper conveyor belt and the lower conveyor belt (B O , B U ) have a spacing (Z) between the sections facing each other in the height direction (Z) B ), a4) wherein the belt support (F O ) has a direction toward the lower conveyor belt (B U )'s straight upper clamping part (K O ), which extends in the conveying direction (X) and is parallel to the lower belt carrier (F BU )'s straight lower clamping part (K U ) extends so as to transport the upper conveyor belt and the lower conveyor belt (B) along the conveying direction (X) O , B U ) a product (P) clamped between the upper conveyor belt and the lower conveyor belt, a5) wherein the belt support (F O ) has a direction toward the lower conveyor belt (B U ) of the release portion (T), which is connected to the upper clamping portion (K) along a release length (LT) along the conveying direction (X) starting from the engagement position (XT) O ) are connected, a6) wherein the release portion (T) is at least partially located on the lower clamping portion (K U ) extends above, And wherein the band spacing (Z B ) increases along the release length (LT) to release the product clamping when the product (P) is conveyed along the conveying direction (X), b) wherein the scale (W) has a preloaded drivable weighing belt (B W ), the weighing belt extends along the conveying direction (X) over the weighing belt length (L BW ) in order to receive the product (P) supplied by the conveying device (F) in a fully released manner, weigh it and continue conveying it, Its characteristics are: c1) The weighing belt (B W ) is directly connected to the lower conveyor belt (B) in the conveying direction (X) U ) so that the gravity of the product (P) is transferred from the lower conveyor belt (B) during its transportation. U ) is directly transferred to the weighing belt (B W ), so that the overall length of the scale (W) and the conveying device (F) in the conveying direction (X) can be reduced to a minimum, c2) wherein the weighing belt (B W ) length (L BW ) is as long as or longer than the release length (LT).

2. The system (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The release portion (T) includes a straight section (T G ), so that the band spacing (Z B ) along the release length (L T ) increases linearly.

3. The system (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The release part (T) a) is designed to be compatible with the upper clamping portion (K O ) are integrally or rigidly connected, and / or b) in the direction of the lower clamping portion (K U ) through the arc portion and the upper clamping portion (K O ) or c) relative to the upper clamping portion (K O )Activity.

4. The system (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower clamping portion (K U ) extends along the conveying direction (X) until the front end (X KU ), and the measured value at the joint position (X) along the conveying direction (X) T ) and the front end (X KU ) is at least 20 mm, so that the correspondingly long product (P) is clamped at the latest when the conveyed product (P) reaches the front end (X KU ) is cancelled.

5. The system (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The release length (LT) is at least 20 mm.

6. The system (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper belt carrier (F BO ) relative to the lower belt carrier (F BU ) can be moved, positioned and fixed in the height direction (Z) so that products (P) of different heights can be clamped and conveyed.

7. The system (A) according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes at least one processing station (M, M'), which is designed to process the fully clamped between the upper clamping part and the lower clamping part (K O , K U ), wherein the processing is carried out while the product (P) is moving along the conveying direction (X).

8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower conveyor belt (B U ) and / or the upper conveyor belt (B O ) can be predetermined or adjusted so that it corresponds to the conveying speed of the weighing belt (B W ) conveying speed to ensure that the product is transferred from the lower conveyor belt to the weighing belt as free of collision as possible.

9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The weighing belt length (L BW ) is determined according to the maximum length of the product (P) to be weighed along the conveying direction (X), Among them, as the weighing belt length (L BW ) is applicable to: a) Two weighing belts (B) are respectively W ) the distance between the axles of the turning member with a radius turning in the opposite direction, or b) The spacing according to a) plus the radius of the deflection elements according to a).

10. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The let-off length (LT) is selected to be at least as large as a predetermined maximum length of the product (P) in the X direction.

11. The system (A) according to claim 3, characterized in that: The release portion (T) can be relative to the upper clamping portion (K O ) pivot and adjust.

12. The system (A) according to claim 4, characterized in that: The measured value at the joint position (X) along the conveying direction (X) T ) and the front end (X KU ) shall be at least 50 mm apart.

13. The system (A) according to claim 4, characterized in that: The measured value at the joint position (X) along the conveying direction (X) T ) and the front end (X KU ) is greater than 80mm.

14. The system (A) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The release length (L T ) is at least 50mm.

15. The system (A) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The release length (L T ) exceeds 80mm.

16. The system (A) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The processing station (M, M') is designed to mark and / or detect and / or monitor and / or verify the complete clamping between the upper clamping part and the lower clamping part (K) with an electromagnetic and / or optical recognition mechanism. O ,K U ) between the products (P).

17. The system (A) according to claim 9, characterized in that: The weighing belt length (L BW ) is the maximum length of the product (P) to be weighed along the conveying direction (X) plus the transition margin (L E ), the transition margin is calculated according to the following formula L E =(V B ·t E )+L C Among them, V B = Predeterminable belt speed of weighing belt, t E = Predictable transition time, L C =predeterminable correction value.

18. The system (A) according to claim 9, characterized in that: The deflecting element is a deflecting roller.

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