Device for handling trays

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for handling trays (10) comprising a handling device (19) which is designed to transfer a tray (10) between different stations of the device, namely from a tray feed station (11) for trays (10) filled with rod-shaped products (20) to a tray emptying station (12) and from the tray emptying station (12) to a tray transfer station (17) for emptied trays (10). The handling device (19) is designed to hold the tray (10) during the transfer and to align it according to the individual stations. According to the invention, the handling device (19) is designed to hold the tray (10) in the region of edges of the tray (10), in particular in the region of lateral narrow edges (58) of the tray (10).

Description

[0001] The cigarette industry increasingly demands high-performance packaging machines that can be operated efficiently and with a high degree of effectiveness. This includes hinge-lid packers, which insert rod-shaped products into outer packaging at high speed. As the speed of the hinge-lid packer increases, the supply of the required quantity of product to the packer must be ensured. Typically, the products are fed in so-called trays.

[0002] Trays are storage containers for products to be packaged, in which the products are arranged or stacked tightly. A distinctive feature of trays is that at least one side is open. Typically, two sides are open: a large side and an end.

[0003] The trays can be fed to the packer manually. However, nowadays they are usually fed to the packer via a magazine by an automatic tray unloader. Current tray unloaders are reaching their limits at the speeds delivered by modern packers, requiring the machine control to reduce the packer's speed or adjust it to the available quantity of products. The problem, therefore, is that the cycle rate of current tray unloaders is no longer sufficient to supply the packer at consistently high speeds.

[0004] In practice, it is known that an automatic tray feeding unit is used in a packaging line for supplying rod-shaped products to provide the packer with a sufficient flow of products. In the tray feeding unit, the trays filled with products are individually fed to a gripping station via a conveyor belt, where the tray is gripped by gripping mechanisms. The open end of the tray is closed, and the contents are then completely transferred to an intermediate reservoir of the tray unloader at an emptying station by means of a tilting motion of the tray. The empty tray is then transferred to a push-off belt for conveyance to a removal station.

[0005] From DE 10 2007 047 562 A1 a handling device for receiving, emptying and removing trays is known, wherein two robot units are provided which can perform multi-axis movements in order to carry out as many unloading cycles as possible in a short time.

[0006] According to EP 34 84 313 B1, the trestles are held by a gripping element throughout the entire movement process, from picking up the full trestle to releasing the empty one. Furthermore, the gripping element is designed to be able to pick up two different types of trestles (four-walled and five-walled).

[0007] EP 3 269 264 A1 discloses a device for emptying trays, in which a handling unit with a rotary and lifting device transports the trays between different stations. As shown in Figur 5 and paragraph

[0034] , the trestle is held by "lateral grippers" (16L, 16R) which are designed as elongated strips and act on the large-area side walls of the trestle.

[0008] US 2003 / 113195 A1 also shows a device for handling containers. A manipulator (13) grips the side walls (“lateral walls 8”) of the container by means of jaws (27, 28). Here too, the container is held by its large side surfaces.

[0009] DE 10 2009 025 568 A1 describes a device in which the containers are held in a cassette (22) by means of clamping elements (32, 33) that act on the front and back wall of the containers.

[0010] The cigarette industry uses various trays designed for different product sizes. These trays are mostly made of plastic and vary in structural rigidity. In most cases, the trays are gripped and clamped by their large side surfaces, which leads to deformation of the tray's side and / or back walls. This deformation affects the contents of the tray, causing unwanted shifting and, in the worst case, undesirable lateral rotation. The trays themselves become warped to a greater or lesser degree, resulting in an unsafe and uncontrollable gripping and tipping motion of the load. This further complicates emptying the tray.

[0011] Based on this, the invention aims to further develop devices of the type mentioned above, particularly with regard to improved handling of the trestles.

[0012] A device according to the invention has the features of claim 1. It is therefore provided that the trestle emptying station has a platform that can be moved up and down, and that a conveyor belt of the platform can be locked as a lower support for the products to be received when the platform is raised and lowered, and in a lower end position of the platform serves for the lateral transport of the products.

[0013] This solution offers the advantage that the products can be placed directly on the belt, preventing them from falling into the discharge station. Ultimately, this avoids products lying sideways in the mass flow, which could cause malfunctions.

[0014] Furthermore, it may be provided that the handling device is designed to tilt the trestle held in the area of ​​the edges of the trestle, in particular from an upside-down position to an overhead position, in order to feed it to the trestle emptying station.

[0015] Preferably, the handling device may be designed to move the trestle in a vertical direction, in particular to lift it, during the transfer to the trestle emptying station.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the handling device is designed to tilt the trestle held in the area of ​​the edges of the trestle during feeding to the trestle transfer station, in particular from an overhead position to a horizontal position.

[0017] Furthermore, it may be provided that the trestle transfer station is equipped to take over the emptied trestle from the handling device and erect it, in particular into an upside-down position, and feed it to a conveyor.

[0018] One special feature may be that the handling device is designed to hold and tilt the trestles held in the area of ​​the edges of the trestle, regardless of format, in particular without changing format parts or the like.

[0019] In particular, it may be provided that the handling device is configured to close an open side of the rack substantially over its entire surface by means of a closing device, in particular a closing plate, and that the handling device is configured to release the side of the rack at least in the rack emptying station, and in particular also in the rack transfer station, by removing the closing device.

[0020] One advantage of this solution is that it can prevent the products from falling out of the trestle.

[0021] Furthermore, it may be provided that the device is designed to support the trestle in the trestle emptying station on the side edges of the narrow sides of the trestle.

[0022] One advantage of this solution is that the trestle can be secured in this way.

[0023] In particular, it may be provided that the trestle in the trestle emptying station is held between a stop of the trestle emptying station and a stop, in particular a stop arm, of the handling device.

[0024] One advantage of this solution is that the trestle can be easily clamped in place.

[0025] Preferably, the handling device is designed to tilt the trestle by means of a servo drive.

[0026] In this case, it can also be provided that the clamping of the trestle in the handling device is ensured during a tilting movement and in the event of a pressure drop by a pneumatic cylinder, which leads to a self-locking clamping movement.

[0027] One advantage of this solution is that in the event of a pressure drop in the pneumatic cylinder, the clamping mechanism is secured by self-locking. This prevents the clamp from being lost.

[0028] One special feature may be that elastic elements are used on clamping blocks of the handling device for self-locking of the clamping, which rest against a bottom wall of the trestle.

[0029] In particular, it may be provided that the handling device has a clamping device for the trestle, wherein the clamping device is adaptable to different dimensions of the trestle.

[0030] This allows for adaptation to different trestle formats.

[0031] Preferably, the trestle emptying station may have a wall as a stop for the filled trestle, which covers an open side of the trestle, in particular an open broad side.

[0032] This solution can have the advantage of preventing uncontrolled shifting of the products during the tipping and emptying process.

[0033] Furthermore, it may be provided that the trestle emptying station serves as an intermediate storage for the products to be filled, wherein the storage is laterally limited by a back wall plate and opposite the back wall plate by a stop wall as well as a slide and lock walls opposite the slide, and wherein the lock walls are laterally movable transversely to the direction of movement of the slide.

[0034] This solution can have the advantage of allowing controlled emptying of the storage.

[0035] Furthermore, it may be provided that the handling device is designed to convey the products from the trestle emptying station by means of the slide and the belt of the platform after the trestle has been completely emptied.

[0036] Another special feature may be that the trestle transfer station is equipped with its own drive and is adjustable to the format of the trestle.

[0037] This solution has the advantage that no change of format parts is required.

[0038] A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 shows a device for handling products in a schematic spatial representation; Fig. 2 shows a first side view of the device corresponding to arrow II. Fig. 1 , Figs. 3 to 5 a second side view of the device corresponding to arrow III in Fig. 1 in successive phases of the movement sequence, Fig. 6 a vertical section through the device along section line VI - VI in Fig. 5 , Figs. 7 and 8 show a detail of the illustration according to Fig. 3 bis 5 in successive phases of the movement sequence, Fig. 9 a vertical section through the device along section line IX - IX in Fig. 8 , Figs. 10 to 12 Continuation of the in Fig. 3 bis 6 as well as the sequence of movements shown in Figures 7 and 8, and Figure 13 the device according to Fig. 8 during the unloading of the products.

[0039] The Fig. 1 shows the overall structure of an automatic device for handling trestles 10, with a feed station 11 for filled trays 10, an emptying station 12 for trays 10, with a moving platform 13 with a stop wall 14, a lock 15 and a slide gate 16, a transfer station 17 for emptied trays 10, a push-off station 18 for emptied trays 10 and a handling device 19, which serves to transport filled trays 10 from the feed station 11 to the emptying station 12 and to transport emptied trays from the emptying station 12 to the transfer station 18.

[0040] In this case, the racks 10 serve to transport products 20, for example, cigarettes or other products of the tobacco industry. For the purposes of this application, products of the tobacco industry are understood to include tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigarillos, and the like, but also novel tobacco products, such as heat-not-burn products or liquid carriers for e-cigarettes. Of course, other rod-shaped products 20 can also be arranged in the racks 10.

[0041] The following section will first describe the general structure of the device and its basic functionality, before explaining individual design details.

[0042] Fig. 3 Figure 1 shows the overall view of the system. At the lower feed station 11, trays 10 filled with 20 products are fed to a collection station 21 by means of a feed belt 24, where a locking or stopping device 22 causes the trays 10 to be brought into a jam and held in place.

[0043] Above the feed station 11 is a discharge station 18 for empty trays 10. Upstream of the discharge station 18 is a transfer station 17, where the empty trays 10 are erected and transferred to a discharge belt 23 of the discharge station 18. To the left is the emptying station 12, where the trays 10 are emptied at the top.

[0044] The handling device 19 is arranged between the feed station 11, the discharge station 18 and the emptying station 12. It grasps a single tray 10 from a transfer position in the feed station 11, closes the upper open side of the tray 10, and then transports it in a tilting motion to an upper area of ​​the emptying station 12.

[0045] To feed a tray 10 from the collection station 21 to the transfer position, the tray 10 is first released by the locking or stopping device 22 and then transported towards the transfer position in the area of ​​a left end of the feed belt 24. The trays 10 are guided by lateral guides 25. Sensors 26 monitor the feeding of the trays 10, the operational readiness of the trays 10, and the position of the trays 10 for grasping by the handling device.

[0046] The Fig. 4 bis 12 The figures show the function of the handling device 19 from the capture of a tray 10 in the feed station 11 to the transfer of the tray 10 to the transfer station 17, as well as the function of the platform 13 during the emptying process of the tray 10.

[0047] The Fig. 4 The diagram shows the ready position of the handling device 19 at the transfer position of the feed station 11. Simultaneously, the stage 13 on the left is moved upwards. Fig. 5 Figure 1 shows the grasping of the frame 10 by the handling device 19 in the feed station 11, whereby the upper open side of the frame 10 is simultaneously closed with a closing plate 28 of the handling device 19. The frame 10 is held in the handling device 19 by a clamping action triggered by a pneumatic cylinder 27. At the same time, the left side of the platform 13 is moved upwards.

[0048] The Fig. 6 Figure 19 shows the handling device in cross-section. The trestle 10 is clamped at an upper edge of the narrow side walls 31 by adjustable clamping brackets 29 and at a bottom wall 30 by adjustable clamping blocks 32. Self-locking of the clamping is achieved by means of elastic elements (rubber buffers) on the lower clamping blocks 32.

[0049] In Fig. 7 The pivoting movement of the handling device 19 is shown to feed the tray 10 upside down to the emptying station 12. The tray 10 is moved along one side edge against a stop 33 of the emptying station 12, becoming clamped between the stop 33 and a stop arm 34 of the handling device 19. The platform 13 has already reached its uppermost position and is waiting for the emptying process.

[0050] In Fig. 8 The clamping of the trestle 10 is released by the handling device 19, and simultaneously the closing plate 28 releases the lower opening of the trestle 10, thereby triggering the emptying process. The products 20 land on a conveyor belt 38 of the platform 13. The platform 13 is then moved downwards, with the gate 15 and the slide 16 serving as lateral limits for the products 20 on the descending platform ( Fig. 9 ). When the platform 13 has reached a certain lower position corresponding to a distance slightly greater than the load height, the trestle 10 is again gripped or clamped by the handling device 19 ( Fig. 10 ).

[0051] Subsequently, a pivoting movement of the handling device 19 to the transfer station 17 is triggered ( Fig. 11 ). How does it compare with Fig. 8 As can be seen, a trestle holder 35 of the transfer station 17 is swung into a receiving position. In Fig. 10 The position of the trestle holder 35 is shown. When the clamped trestle 10 reaches the transfer station 17, the clamping of the trestle 10 at the transfer station 17 is released again ( Fig. 11 ), here too, the locking plate 28 simultaneously releases the opening of the trestle 10, thereby triggering a return movement of the trestle holder 35. The trestle 10 slides onto the L-shaped holder, is thereby erected and placed on the push-off belt 23 ( Fig. 12 ).

[0052] After the empty trestle 10 has been erected, the handling device 19 is swivelled to the transfer station 17 of the feed station 11 in order to start the next cycle.

[0053] Fig. 2 Figure 1 shows the side view of the unloading station 12 of the device. The moving platform 13 serves to collect the products 20 falling from the trestle 10 during the unloading process at the upper position, acting as an intermediate storage area. During the unloading process, the platform 13 is moved downwards to collect the entire load while the trestle 10 is being emptied, and then to push the load onto a conveying belt 36 when the load or platform 13 reaches its lowest position. Fig. 13 ).

[0054] The platform 13 has a stop wall 14 that laterally limits the load, and a conveyor belt 38 which is locked in place when the platform 13 is raised and lowered (to prevent unsteady movement of the products 20 during emptying). In the lowest position, for the discharge of the products 20, the belt is connected to the main drive 46 by means of a clutch via a locking coupling 39, at which point the locking mechanism is released. The platform 13 is driven on one side by a linear unit 40 and guided on the opposite side in a lateral guide 41 along a slot into which a roller 62 engages. On both sides of the platform 13 are a gate 15 and a slide gate 16, which serve as vertical limit walls during emptying.

[0055] After the trough 10 has been emptied, the lock 15, or rather its lock walls 63, is opened and the passage for the removal of the products 20 is released. The entire load is then pushed transversely into a mass flow 42 by means of the slide 16 and the driven conveyor belt 38 in a downward movement of the conveyor belt 38 until the slide 16 reaches the lock 15 ( Fig. 13 Afterwards, the lock 15 is closed and the slide 16 returns to its initial position. The closing and opening of the lock 15 is triggered by a pneumatic cylinder 43 and a coupling mechanism ( Fig. 7 The movement of the slide 16 is triggered via a linear unit 44 (toothed belt axis) located on the rear side of the discharge station 12. The linear unit 44 is fed by a chain 45 from the main drive 46.

[0056] Having described the basic structure and its essential functions, we now turn to describing individual constructive details.

[0057] According to Fig. 1 The transfer station 17 has its own drive 47 for the trestle holders 35. Furthermore, it can be seen that a storage belt 48 is provided on the side of the lock 15, which limits the mass flow 42 upwards (see also Fig. 13 ). Fig. 1 and 13 Figure 49 also shows a rear wall plate that borders the intermediate storage at the rear and extends laterally into the area of ​​the storage belt 48. Furthermore, a frame 50 forms part of the device in this area.

[0058] Fig. 3 Figures ff, which show the handling device 19, show that it has its own drive 51 for the handling device 19.

[0059] A crank 53 and a pull rod 54 are arranged on a console 52 of the handling device 19. These are connected to a linkage 55, which has linkages 56 and levers 57, as well as stop arms 34 for the rear of the brackets 10. After the bracket 10 is clamped, its rear rests against two stop arms 34 spaced apart from each other. The clamping blocks 32 and the locking plate 28 are actuated via the linkage 55 and the pneumatic cylinder 27.

[0060] While the clamping blocks 32 are positioned on the underside of the trestle 10 or its bottom wall 30, the clamping holders 29 engage in the area of ​​side edges 58 at the opposite end of the trestle 10, namely in the area of ​​side edges 58 of narrow side walls 31 of the trestle 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the clamping holders 29 are L-shaped in cross-section, so that they bear against the top of the narrow side wall 31 and the narrow side wall 31 itself in the area of ​​side edge 58.

[0061] The spacing of the clamping holders 29 can be adjusted by sliding them along crossbeams 59 in order to adapt the handling device 19 to different sized trestles 10 ( Fig. 6 The position of the clamping blocks 32 can also be adjusted for this purpose. The figures show that in the illustrated embodiment, the clamping blocks 32 are arranged in pairs and can be individually adjusted via a thread to accommodate different trestles 10. It is also conceivable to adjust them to different distances between the clamping blocks 32 within a pair.

[0062] Furthermore, stops 60 for the crank 53 are provided on console 52.

[0063] The tilting movement of the handling device 19 is controlled via a servo motor as drive 51 ( Fig. 6 The servomotor transmits the movement or force to a downstream gearbox, which is directly connected to the crank 53 of the handling device 19. A safety device is located between the servomotor and the gearbox; this device acts as a backstop, preventing the frame 10 and its mounting from snapping back uncontrollably to their initial position, for example, in the event of a servomotor failure.

[0064] The backstop allows free rotation in both directions during normal operation. In the event of a pressure loss, one direction of rotation is blocked. This can be achieved by a detent disc located on the motor shaft, with at least one lug, in conjunction with a pneumatically retractable detent bolt, ensuring secure positioning of the device and any loads placed on it (such as falling filled trays). Alternatively, other mechanisms are conceivable besides the pneumatically retractable detent bolt, for example, hydraulic, mechanical, or electromagnetic actuation mechanisms or drives. A pawl can also be used instead of a detent bolt.

[0065] The backstop can be switched on and off. The locking mechanism is achieved via a locking pin located in the housing and an attached roller, which, in the active position, blocks the lugs of the locking disc. The insertion of the backstop between the servo motor and gearbox reduces forces and movement on the gearbox output side. The backstop is redundantly designed: In a depressurized system state, the backstop is active. Additionally, a compression spring holds the locking pin in contact with the locking disc. The passive position is achieved by pressurizing the cylinder, which pushes the locking pin upwards, thus enabling both directions of rotation. The insertion of the narrow backstop between the motor and gearbox results in a compact safety system requiring minimal installation space.

[0066] Fig. 3 This shows that the stop wall 14 can be swung open laterally to provide access to the intermediate storage. A handle 61 on the outside of the stop wall 14 can be used for this purpose ( Fig. 2 ).

Claims

1. Device for handling trays (10), with a handling apparatus (19) which is specified to transfer a tray (10) between different stations of the device, specifically from a tray feeding station (11) for trays (10) filled with rod-shaped products (20) into a tray emptying station (12) and from the tray emptying station (12) to a tray transfer station (17) for emptied trays (10), wherein the handling apparatus (19) is specified to hold the tray (10) during transfer and to align it according to the individual stations, and wherein the handling apparatus (19) is specified to hold the tray (10) in the region of lateral narrow edges (58) of the tray (10), characterized in that the tray emptying station (12) has a platform (13) which is movable up and down, and wherein a conveyor belt (38) of the platform (13), as a lower support of the products to be received (20), is able to be locked while moving the platform (13) up and down and in a lower end position of the platform (13) serves for the lateral dispatch of the products (20).

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the handling apparatus (19) is specified to tilt the tray (10) held in the region of edges of the tray (10), in particular from a head-up position to an overhead position, in order to feed said tray to the tray emptying station (12).

3. Device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the handling apparatus (19) is specified to move, in particular lift, the tray (10) in the vertical direction during transfer to the tray emptying station (12).

4. Device according to Claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the handling apparatus (19) is specified to tilt, in particular from an overhead position to a lying position, the tray (10) held in the region of edges of the tray (10) during feeding to the tray transfer station (17).

5. Device according to Claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the tray transfer station (17) is specified to acquire the emptied tray (10) from the handling apparatus (19) and to place said tray upright, in particular to a head-up position, and to feed it to a discharge conveyor.

6. Device according to Claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the handling apparatus (19) is specified to hold and tilt the tray (10) held in the region of edges of the tray (10) regardless of format, in particular without changing format parts or the like.

7. Device according to Claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the handling apparatus (19) is specified to close an open side of the tray (10) by means of a closure means, in particular a closure plate (28), substantially over the entire area, and in that the handling apparatus (19) is specified to release the side of the tray (10) at least in the tray emptying station (12), in particular also in the tray transfer station (17), by removing the closure means.

8. Device according to Claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the device is specified to support the tray (10) in the tray emptying station (12) on lateral edges (58) of narrow sides of the tray (10).

9. Device according to Claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the tray (10) is held in the tray emptying station (12) between a stop (33) of the tray emptying station (12) and a stop, in particular a stop arm (34), of the handling apparatus (19).

10. Device according to Claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the handling apparatus (19) is specified to tilt the tray (10) by means of a servo drive (47), wherein it is preferably provided, that clamping of the tray (10) in the handling apparatus (19) is ensured during a tilting movement and in the event of a pressure drop by a pneumatic cylinder leading to a self-locking clamping movement, wherein it is provided in particular that elastic elements on clamping blocks (32) of the handling apparatus (19), which rest on a bottom wall (30) of the tray (10), are used for self-locking of the clamping mechanism.

11. Device according to Claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the handling apparatus (19) has a clamping device for the tray (10), wherein the clamping device is adaptable to different dimensions of the tray (10).

12. Device according to Claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the tray emptying station (12) has a wall (14) as a stop for the filled tray (10), which covers an open side of the tray (10), in particular an open broadside.

13. Device according to Claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the tray emptying station (12) serves as an intermediate store for the products (20) to be filled, wherein the store is limited laterally by a rear wall plate (49) and opposite the rear wall plate (49) by a stop wall (14) and a slide (16) and lock walls (63) that lie opposite the slide (16), and wherein the lock walls (63) are laterally displaceable transversely to the direction of movement of the slide (16), wherein it is preferably provided that the handling apparatus (19) is specified to discharge the products (20) from the tray emptying station (12) by means of the slide (16) and the belt of the platform once the tray (10) has been completely emptied.

14. Device according to Claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the tray transfer station (17) is equipped with a dedicated drive (47) and is adjustable to the format of the tray (10).

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