Transport device with push mechanism

Abstract

Transport device (V) which extends in a transport direction (X), a transverse direction (Y) orthogonal to it and a vertical direction (Z) orthogonal to both directions (X, Y) and is designed to transport discrete products (P) along a conveying path in the transport direction (X) above a transport plane (E) which extends in the XY direction in regular operation, a) wherein the transport device (V) has a staging zone (B) in which, during normal operation, no driven device components come into contact with the products located there, b) and wherein the staging area (B) is configured as a FIFO (First in / First out) storage area that can accommodate a limited number (n) of consecutive products (P), and c) wherein the transport direction (X) has a push mechanism (T) with a push element (S) that can be moved forward and backward, which does not interfere with the transport of the products in regular operation and is designed to, in a phase outside of regular operation, on demand, apply a push force to products (P) in the staging zone (B) and push them out of the staging zone (B) in the transport direction (X), d) wherein the pusher element (S) has a driver (H) which moves from a rest position, in which it does not protrude into the conveying path, to a working position, in which it protrudes into the conveying path, before or during the forward movement in order to be able to act upon the products (P) during the forward movement.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport device for conveying discrete products along a production or inspection line. In particular, the products can be cuboid boxes that are filled, closed, inspected, and marked along the conveyor line, being successively fed to various processing stations, for example, a marking device.

[0002] In the marking device, the products are typically transported in a clamped position to allow for precise positioning, for example, for printing. Product marking is often applied to the side of the product, so in this case, the product is preferably transported clamped between one or more upper and lower transport belts.

[0003] Before the products reach the marking device, they are usually conveyed upstream through other processing stations, where they are also moved using clamping conveyor belts, such as side-pressure belts. A product transported upstream of the marking device that is tilted or twisted would be transferred to the marking device in the same spatial orientation, making proper product marking difficult or impossible. Therefore, simultaneous product interference by conveyor belts upstream of the marking device, on the one hand, and by the belts of the marking device itself, on the other hand, must be avoided to ensure that the product is oriented without tension and is transferred to the marking device in the correct spatial orientation, without twisting or tilting.For this purpose, a non-powered staging zone can be provided directly upstream of the marking device, in which the products, possibly guided by steering or alignment elements, can be staged without tension for transfer to the marking device.

[0004] In normal operation, products in the staging area are pushed forward by following products towards the marking device, where they enter the intake area of ​​the marking device's conveyor belts and are picked up and transported further. The staging area therefore forms a dead zone without any moving parts, from which products are only pushed out by following products, which then remain there. Outside of normal operation, for example, during production downtime or at the end of a batch, some products always remain in the staging area due to the lack of further following products. These products then have to be removed from the staging area manually, a process that is often difficult and, for safety reasons, not directly accessible without removing protective devices.

[0005] The object of the invention was therefore to provide a transport device that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages. This object is achieved by a transport device according to claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0006] The invention is based on the finding that products remaining in the staging zone outside of regular operation can be actuated and conveyed further using a special pushing mechanism. This allows the products to be completely pushed out of the staging zone outside of regular operation, for example, to print these products in the marking device. According to the invention, manual intervention in the system to remove the products from the release zone is therefore unnecessary.

[0007] The transport device according to the invention extends in a transport direction X, a transverse direction Y orthogonal to it, and a vertical direction Z orthogonal to both directions X and Y. It is designed to transport discrete products along a conveyor path in the transport direction X during normal operation. The products move on or above a transport plane extending in the XY direction. The conveyor path can pass through several processing stations.

[0008] The transport device includes a staging area where, during normal operation, no driven components of the device interact with the products located there. The staging area is configured as a FIFO (First In / First Out) storage system. This means that the product inserted into the storage area is also the first to leave it. The staging area can hold a limited number of "n" products, for example, four individual boxes.

[0009] A section along the conveyor path can be designed as a staging zone, through which all products are passed one after the other, i.e., individual products are fed to it one after the other from an upstream side, where they lie there without tension or their own drive, preferably close together, and are pushed one after the other by subsequent products towards a downstream end, where they leave the staging zone again.

[0010] According to the invention, the transport device comprises a push mechanism with a push element that can be moved forwards and backwards. During normal operation, the push element does not interfere with the transport of the products. However, it is designed to apply a push force to products in the staging area during a phase outside of normal operation and to push them out of the staging area in a forward movement in the direction of transport.

[0011] The transport device features a push mechanism with a reciprocating push element that does not interfere with product transport during normal operation. Instead, it is designed to apply a push force to products in the staging area upon request during a forward movement outside of normal operation, pushing them out of the staging area in the direction of transport. Specifically, the push element includes a carrier that moves from a rest position, in which it does not protrude into the conveying path, to a working position, in which it protrudes into the conveying path, before or during the forward movement, in order to apply force to the products during the forward movement.

[0012] According to the invention, this makes it possible to clear the staging area of ​​products outside of regular operation, i.e., when no subsequent products are being inserted into the staging area which could push the products located there out of the staging area, without manual intervention and preferably automatically.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, an actuating element is provided on the transport device to actuate the carrier and thereby move it out of or into the conveying path. For this purpose, the actuating element can move relative to the carrier. Preferably, the actuating element is fixedly arranged on the transport device. The carrier could, for example, be pivotally attached to the push element and actuated by a spring that folds it into the working position as long as the actuating element is not acting on the carrier. The push element can, in particular, be moved parallel to the conveying path, i.e., in the transport direction X, so that when actuated, it moves in the same direction as the products being transported during regular operation.When the pusher element and its carrier move into a retracted waiting position (reverse movement), the carrier engages with the actuating element and is folded against the spring force out of the conveying path or from the working position into the rest position. When the pusher element moves in the opposite direction (forward movement), the carrier disengages from the actuating element, causing it to fold back into the working position under the spring force. In this working position, the carrier protrudes into the conveying path, so that further movement of the pusher element causes the carrier to engage the product furthest or last in the staging zone (relative to the direction of transport) and push it out of the staging zone along with the other products located downstream of it.For example, a piston-cylinder arrangement could be used in which the push element, when the piston rod is retracted, moves against the actuating element and moves the driver into its rest position. When the piston is actuated, it pushes the piston rod with the push element attached to it forward towards the staging area. It is self-evident to anyone skilled in the art that the push mechanism within the transport device must be dimensioned and positioned so that the push element with its driver can completely clear the staging area during its forward movement; that is, the stroke of the push mechanism must be sufficient for this purpose.

[0014] In the preferred embodiment, the protective mechanism with its push element is designed to actuate the products in a forward motion and push them out of the staging zone. Of course, the movement of the push element can also be considered a pulling motion, in which the push element pulls the products out of the staging zone. In this case, too, the push element acts upon the products on the back side of the last product delivered to the staging zone. For example, a piston-cylinder arrangement could be chosen for the protective mechanism, in which the push element moves towards the staging zone when the piston rod is moved into the cylinder, i.e., the push element moves towards the cylinder and is thereby essentially pulled by the piston rod.If, however, the piston rod with the push element extends completely out of the cylinder, it reaches the actuating element in the extended position and moves the driver into the rest position.

[0015] Preferably, when in its rest position, the carrier is located entirely below the transport plane. During forward movement, the carrier then moves upwards through the transport plane and thus enters the conveying path of the products.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the invention, the push element comprises a spring that holds the driver in its working position. When the push element moves backward into the effective range of the actuating element, the spring is tensioned, pivoting and folding the driver into its rest position. When the push element moves out of the effective range of the actuating element, the spring relaxes, pivoting or folding the driver into its working position.

[0017] Instead of the actuating element described above, the driver can also be moved back and forth between the rest position and the working position by a cam guide or a control cam. For example, a material projection on the driver could engage in a correspondingly shaped cam during the feed or be guided along a control cam. The path of the cam or control cam then guides the material projection, or at least the driver associated with it, from the rest position to the working position and – during the return stroke in the opposite direction of feed – back to the rest position.

[0018] Preferably, the conveying path is straight in the section where the driver projects into the conveying path during the forward movement of the pusher element. This simplifies the drive of the pusher element. Preferably, the pusher element is pneumatically driven or equipped with a linear drive. A servo motor is also suitable as a drive. Most preferably, the pusher mechanism is designed such that its feed rate—especially during movement in the staging zone—is adapted to the speed at which the products are transported along the conveying path during regular operation. This advantageously ensures that the products reach a processing device, particularly a marking device, located downstream of the staging zone at the speed intended for regular operation and can therefore be processed further in the usual manner.

[0019] A simple back-and-forth movement of the push element allows for its comparatively simple and flat design, unlike, for example, a drive unit guided on a circular path or around several deflection elements, as these designs generally require more installation space. The invention also ensures that the single drive unit can simultaneously move or push several products positioned one behind the other within the staging zone by acting upon only one of these products, namely the last product transferred into the staging zone.

[0020] Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the transport device has a feed mechanism that can be actuated separately from the push mechanism. The feed mechanism is designed to transport the products into the staging zone during regular operation. The feed mechanism can be part of a processing device arranged upstream of the staging zone. It can have one or more transport belts, which preferably face each other in the vertical direction Z or in the transverse direction Y and can thereby clamp a product positioned between them.

[0021] Advantageously, the feeding mechanism is designed to push a product located at the downstream end of the staging zone out of the staging zone which is fully occupied with (n) products by pushing another product into the staging zone at the upstream end of the staging zone facing the feeding mechanism, thereby pushing the products located downstream behind it forward in the transport direction.

[0022] This corresponds to normal operation. In normal operation, individual products can be transported and processed at a distance from each other in front of the staging area. In the staging area, however, due to the lack of a drive acting on the products there, the products are arranged so that they lie directly behind one another in the transport direction X, in order to be advanced together by each product being pushed upstream into the staging area, preferably by the length dimension of one product in the transport direction X.

[0023] Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the transport device has a discharge mechanism that can be actuated separately from the push mechanism and is designed to receive the products from the staging area. The discharge mechanism can be part of a processing station that connects downstream to the staging area. In particular, it can be a marking device that receives the products from the staging area and marks them. The discharge mechanism preferably comprises one or more conveyor belts as transport means that receive the product from the staging area.

[0024] The feeding mechanism and / or the discharge mechanism can have one or more transport belts that rest against at least one side of the product during transport, thereby driving the product in the direction of transport. Preferably, this is achieved by clamping the product between opposing transport belts.

[0025] Preferably, the push mechanism is designed to push the products out of the staging zone at the speed at which they are received and transported by the discharge mechanism in regular operation, in order to avoid unwanted frictional forces or even deformations of the products during transfer.

[0026] Preferably, the staging zone has side guides on both sides of the conveying path, which serve to align and guide the products in the staging zone without generating clamping forces. It is important to ensure that the mechanism's drive element acts on the products as centrally as possible between the side guides to prevent tilting during feeding. Therefore, the push element and / or its drive element is advantageously arranged essentially centered between the side guides in the transverse direction Y. The drive element can also be designed to contact or act on the product via several separate contact points or surfaces. Preferably, these contact points or surfaces are arranged symmetrically to a center line extending in the transport direction X to ensure symmetrical contact of the product by the drive element.

[0027] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the staging zone, or at least its side guides, is coupled to the push mechanism in such a way that the push element and / or its driver automatically centers itself relative to the side guides when the transverse position of at least one side guide changes. This allows the device to be easily adapted to different product dimensions, while always ensuring a central or symmetrical application of pressure during the push mechanism.

[0028] The use of the push mechanism may be necessary whenever regular operation is interrupted or terminated, i.e., when no more products are being transferred from a feeder upstream of the staging zone into this zone. According to one embodiment of the invention, a control unit is therefore provided that can actuate the push mechanism whenever the last products of a batch have arrived in the staging zone or a sensor detects or indicates a gap or a stop in the feed. Alternatively, the push mechanism can also be triggered if no further product has been fed into the staging zone within a predefined time period after the last product has been fed. This ensures that products do not remain in the staging zone unnecessarily long and can instead be quickly fed into the regular processing process downstream of the staging zone.

[0029] An embodiment of the invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to illustrative figures. Fig. 1 a schematic side view of a transport device according to the invention in regular operation; Fig. 2 The device according to Fig. 1 outside of regular operation, using the push mechanism; Fig. 3 a perspective view of the thrust element in its retracted position, and Fig. 4 the shear element according to Fig. 3 during feed.

[0030] Fig. Figure 1 shows a simplified side view of a transport device V according to the invention, which extends in a transport direction X, in a horizontal transverse direction Y perpendicular to it, and in a vertical direction Z orthogonal to both directions. The transport device V transports several discrete products P arranged one after the other in the transport direction X along an unspecified conveying path (not all products are identified by reference numerals in the figures). At its upstream end (in Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 (left) shows a processing station K with a feeding mechanism M, wherein a first conveyor belt G1, running laterally to the products P, conceals a second conveyor belt G2 of the processing station located behind it in the transverse direction Y. Instead of a complete processing station K, a feeding station with a feeding mechanism M can also be arranged there, with the sole purpose of transporting the products. The two conveyor belts G1 and G2 are designed to clamp the products P between them during transport in order to process them in a manner not shown in detail. They rest on a transport plane E that extends in the XY direction.

[0031] Adjacent to the downstream end of the feed mechanism M, a drive-free staging zone B is provided in which the products are held for transfer by a discharge mechanism N, which is part of a further processing station D adjacent to the staging zone downstream and is designed as a marking device. In the simplified representation according to Fig. 1. The products P are transported along the feed mechanism M to the staging zone B and further to the discharge mechanism N along a straight line in the transport direction X.

[0032] The products delivered by the feeding mechanism M to the staging zone B lie directly adjacent to one another and freely on the conveyor level E, without interference from other transport mechanisms. Some lateral guide elements for stress-free alignment of the products in the staging zone are not shown in the figures.

[0033] During normal operation of the device, products P are pushed through the staging zone B. A product P coming from the feed mechanism M encounters the last product P to be transferred into the staging zone B and pushes it, along with the products downstream of it, further in the transport direction X. The product furthest forward in the transport direction X, or located at the downstream end of the staging zone B, is thereby pushed out of the staging zone and transferred to the discharge mechanism N, which takes over the product P and feeds it to further processing (not shown). This processing may, in particular, involve applying a marking to the product.

[0034] Slightly below the conveying level E, a pusher mechanism T is provided, comprising an unspecified cylinder with a piston rod and extending essentially in the conveying direction X. The pusher mechanism is – as described in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is not obvious - in the transverse direction Y approximately centered below the products P or their conveying path. A push element S is arranged at the free end of the piston rod, which in turn has a driver H that can pivot relative to it. The driver H is connected to the push element S via a schematically indicated joint and Fig. Figure 1 shows the piston rod in a lower, horizontal rest position, in which it is retracted. In this rest position, the driver H lies completely below the conveying level E and therefore does not interfere with the regular transport of the products P or their conveying path.

[0035] In its rest position, the driver H is acted upon by a spring (not shown) which tends to fold the driver H upwards into a vertical working position, in which it protrudes into the conveying path of the products P. This movement, however, is blocked by a plunger-like actuating element F, which is fixed relative to the push element S and, in the retracted position of the piston rod, acts on the driver H, forcing it against the spring force into the folded-down rest position. Meanwhile, the products P can be transported above the conveying level E during normal operation.

[0036] In Fig. Figure 2 illustrates a production interruption in which the feed mechanism M no longer transfers any further products P into the staging area B. To still be able to feed the products located there to the downstream discharge mechanism N, the piston rod with the push element S is moved forward in the transport direction X. In doing so, the driver H disengages from the actuating element F and, due to the spring force acting upon it, can fold upwards and assume its vertical working position, in which it projects through the transport plane E into the conveying path of the products P.

[0037] During further advancement, the carrier H comes into contact with the last product P transferred to the staging zone and pushes it, together with the further products P following downstream, towards the discharge mechanism N out of the staging zone B, so that these products can be processed there one after the other.

[0038] Before production is resumed or products are transported by the feeding mechanism towards the staging area, the push element S is moved back towards the actuating element F by retracting the piston rod in this backward movement, which engages with the driver H again and folds it back from its vertical working position into the horizontal rest position, thereby clearing the way for the products to be transported normally.

[0039] Fig. Figure 3 shows the front section of a push mechanism with its push element S and the pivotally attached driver H in its folded-down rest position. It is actuated and held in this position by the actuating element F, which is designed as a plunger.

[0040] If, however, the sliding element is used - as in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, when the driver H is advanced in a forward movement in the transport direction X, it disengages from the actuating element F and can fold up into its vertical working position under the influence of a spring arranged in the joint. A gravity-operated pivoting mechanism would also be conceivable instead of a spring. Reference symbol list B Deployment Zone D marking device E Transport level F Actuating element G1, G2 Transport belt H drive K processing station M Feeding mechanism N Discharge mechanism n maximum number of products in staging zone B P Product S shear element T thrust mechanism V Transport device X Transport direction Y transverse direction Z Altitude direction

Claims

[1] Transport device (V) extending in a transport direction (X), a transverse direction (Y) orthogonal to it and a vertical direction (Z) orthogonal to both directions (X, Y) and designed to transport discrete products (P) along a conveying path in the transport direction (X) above a transport plane (E) extending in the XY direction in regular operation, a) wherein the transport device (V) has a staging zone (B) in which, during normal operation, no driven device components come into contact with the products located there, b) and wherein the staging area (B) is configured as a FIFO (First in / First out) storage area that can accommodate a limited number (n) of consecutive products (P), and c) wherein the transport direction (X) has a push mechanism (T) with a push element (S) that can be moved forward and backward, which does not interfere with the transport of the products in regular operation and is designed to, in a phase outside of regular operation, on demand, apply a push force to products (P) in the staging zone (B) and push them out of the staging zone (B) in the transport direction (X), d) wherein the pusher element (S) has a driver (H) which moves from a rest position, in which it does not protrude into the conveying path, to a working position, in which it protrudes into the conveying path, before or during the forward movement in order to be able to act upon the products (P) during the forward movement. [2] Transport device according to claim 1, further comprising an actuating element (F) which is designed to actuate the driver (H) in order to move it out of or into the conveying path. [3] Transport device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the push element (S) comprises a spring which holds the driver (H) in its working position in the relaxed spring state. [4] Transport device according to the preceding claim, wherein the actuating element (F) causes the driver (H) to move into the conveying path during the forward movement and to move out of it during its backward movement to assume the rest position. [5] Transport device (V) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the push element (S) can be driven pneumatically or with a linear drive or a servo motor, preferably at the same speed at which a feed mechanism (M) or a discharge mechanism (N) transports the products (P). [6] Transport device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the driver (H) is completely below the transport plane (E) in the rest position. [7] Transport device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport device has a feed mechanism (M) that can be operated separately from the push mechanism (S) and is designed to transport the products (P) into the staging area (B). [8] Transport device (V) according to the preceding claim, wherein the transport device (V) is configured to push a product (P) arranged in a downstream end of the staging zone (B) out of the staging zone (B) which is fully occupied with (n) products by the feed mechanism (M) at the upstream end of the staging zone (B) facing the feed mechanism (M) pushing another product (P) into it and thereby pushing the downstream products (P) behind it forward in the transport direction (X). [9] Transport device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport device (V) has a discharge mechanism (N) that can be operated separately from the push mechanism (S) and is designed to receive the products (P) from the staging area (B). [10] Transport device according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the feed mechanism (M) and / or a discharge mechanism (N) has at least one, preferably two or more transport belts (G1, G2) which are in contact with at least one side of the product (P) during transport and thereby drive the product (P) in the transport direction (X), preferably by clamping the product between transport belts (G1, G2). [11] Transport device (V) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the staging zone (B) has side guides on both sides of the conveying path, and wherein the push element (S) and / or its driver (H) is arranged substantially centered between the side guides for a centric application of the products (P) in the transverse direction (Y), and wherein the staging zone (B) is preferably coupled to the push mechanism (T) such that the push element (S) and / or its driver (H) automatically centers itself to the side guides when the transverse position of at least one side guide changes. [12] Transport device (V) according to any one of claims 7 to 11, comprising a control unit configured to actuate the push mechanism (T) when a sensor detects or indicates a conveying gap or a conveying stop and / or when no further product has been supplied to the staging zone (B) within a predefinable time period after the last product (P) has been supplied.

Images