System and method for automated lid supply

Abstract

System (1) and method for the automated supply of lids (111), preferably can lids, for closing containers in a device (50) for filling the containers with a filling product and closing the containers with the lids (111), preferably in a beverage filling plant, wherein the system (1) comprises: at least one central robot (10), which is preferably a stationary robot, and at least one mobile robot (20), which are configured to process a pallet (100) with lid rolls (110), each containing a plurality of lids (111) and packed with an outer packaging (120) on the pallet (100), wherein the central robot (10) is configured to remove the outer packaging (120) and load unpacked lid rolls (110) onto the mobile robot (20), and the mobile robot (20) is configured to transport the loaded lid rolls (110) to a further processing station (52).

Claims

[1] System (1) for the automated supply of lids (111), preferably can lids, for closing containers in a device (50) for filling the containers with a filling product and closing the containers with the lids (111), preferably in a beverage filling plant, the system (1) comprising: at least one central robot (10), which is preferably a stationary robot, and at least one mobile robot (20), which are designed to process a pallet (100) with lid rolls (110), each containing a plurality of lids (111) and packed with an outer packaging (120) on the pallet (100), wherein the central robot (10) is configured to remove the outer packaging (120) and load unpacked lid rolls (110) onto the mobile robot (20), and the mobile robot (20) is configured to transport the loaded lid rolls (110) to a further processing station (52). [2] System (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the further processing station (52) is part of the system (1) and preferably comprises a lid unwrapping system which is designed to unpack the lids (111) from the lid rolls (110) and to feed them to a closing device (56) of the device (50) for closing containers with the lids (111). [3] System (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by in that the mobile robot (20) is a modular robot, comprising a mobile platform (20a) and a top unit (25), which is an interchangeable attachment for the mobile robot (20), wherein the mobile robot (20) is preferably designed to pick up and put down the top unit (25) independently and / or with the aid of a docking station, wherein the top unit (25) preferably comprises feet (25g) for placing the top unit (25) on the floor, whereby the top unit (25) can be put down and picked up independently by the mobile platform (20a). [4] System (1) according to claim 3, characterized by in that the mobile robot (20) has a lifting device (22) which is designed to receive the top unit (25), wherein the lifting device (22) preferably has centering bushes (22a) for receiving the top unit (25) in a precise position and / or a clamping system (22b) for fixing the top unit (25) and / or a plug connector (22c) for the electrical and / or pneumatic connection to the top unit (25). [5] System (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by that the top unit (25) has a conveyor belt (25b) and / or fork tines (25e) and / or a tilting device (25f) for receiving and transferring the lid rolls (110) to the further processing station (52). [6] System (1) according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized bythat the top unit (25) has a robot or pusher (25d) which is set up to transfer the lid rolls (110) picked up by the top unit (25) to the further processing station (52). [7] System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the central robot (10) and / or the mobile robot (20) are configured to supply several further processing stations (52) and / or devices (50) with lid rolls (110). [8] System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the system (1) further comprises at least one buffer storage (30) which is designed for the intermediate storage of cover rolls (110), wherein the central robot (10) and / or the mobile robot (20) is designed to intermediately store cover rolls (110) from the pallet (100) and / or returned from the further processing station (52) in the buffer storage (30). [9] Method for the automated supply of lids (111), preferably can lids, for closing containers in a device (50) for filling the containers with a filling product and closing the containers with the lids (111), preferably in a beverage filling plant, the method comprising: Providing at least one pallet (100) with lid rolls (110), each containing a plurality of lids (111) and packed on the pallet (100) with an outer packaging (120), preferably a film and / or a continuous paper that holds the lid rolls (110) together in an S-shape; Removing the outer packaging (120) by a central robot (10); Loading unpacked lid rolls (110) onto a mobile robot (20) by the central robot (10); and Transporting the loaded lid rolls (110) by the mobile robot (20) to a further processing station (52), preferably to a lid unwinding system, which unpacks the lids (111) from the lid rolls (110) transported by the mobile robot (20) and feeds them to a closing device (56) of the device (50) for closing containers with the lids (111). [10] Method according to claim 9, characterized by in that the mobile robot (20) is a modular robot, comprising a mobile platform (20a) and a top unit (25), which is an interchangeable attachment for the mobile robot (20), wherein the mobile robot (20) independently picks up the top unit (25) before loading and transporting the cover rolls (110). [11] Method according to claim 10, characterized bythat the top unit (25) has a conveyor belt (25b) and / or a tilting device (25f) for receiving and transferring the lid rolls (110) to the further processing station (52). [12] Method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by that the further processing station (52) has a feed belt (52a) with several segments, separated by intermediate spaces, and the top unit (25) has fork tines (25e) which engage in the intermediate spaces of the segments of the feed belt (52a) when the loaded cover rolls (110) are transferred to the further processing station (52). [13] Method according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized by that the mobile robot (20) has a lifting device (22) for receiving the top unit (25), wherein the lifting device (22) preferably lifts or lowers the top unit (25) when transferring the lid rolls (110) to the further processing station (52). [14] Method according to one of claims 10 to 13, characterized bythat the top unit (25) has a robot or pusher (25d) to transfer the lid rolls (110) picked up by the top unit (25) to the further processing station (52). [15] Method according to one of claims 9 to 14 characterized by that the central robot (10) and / or the mobile robot (20) temporarily stores lid rolls (110) from the pallet (100) and / or returned from the further processing station (52) in a buffer storage (30).

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