Device and method for handling products
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023801371
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-11-09
- Filing Date
- 2023-11-03
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-17
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for redirecting products in the packaging industry, such as those used in the cigarette industry, often result in damage due to speed differences between conveyor belts and products during deflection, leading to scratches and increased wear, especially with thicker products.
A device that adapts the speed of the transport means to match the speed of the products' side surfaces, using a combination of driven and freely rotating deflection rollers and belts to minimize relative movements and prevent damage, allowing products to be conveyed along a curved route without slippage.
This solution reduces product damage and wear by ensuring consistent speed between the transport means and products, enabling safe and gentle handling of products across different transport directions without the need for additional drives or complex speed control.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] Device and method for handling products
[0002] Description
[0003] The invention relates to a device for handling products, in particular for blanks made of packaging material for packaging products of the cigarette industry, comprising a deflection device, wherein the products can be fed to the deflection device in a first transport direction, and wherein the deflection device is designed to deflect the products in a second transport direction which runs transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to the first transport direction, and wherein the deflection device is designed to deflect the products by transporting them along a curved transport path, and wherein the products can be conveyed in the region of the curved transport path by transport means of the deflection device, against which the products rest in the region of opposite side surfaces, according to the preamble of claim 1.
[0004] Furthermore, the device relates to a corresponding method according to the preamble of claim 15.
[0005] In the packaging industry, it is quite common for the transport direction of products within a packaging machine to have to be changed. One reason for this could be, for example, that the products are fed in a given relative position that needs to be adjusted for further processing, for example, in the next process step.
[0006] For the purposes of this application, products are understood to mean any object that can be handled mechanically. A product can also be an intermediate product in a manufacturing process or a final product. For example, a blank made of packaging material for packaging products in the cigarette industry is also considered a product. In the prior art, for example, it is common practice to guide products between two parallel endless conveyors and to deflect them by 90° in the area of a roll. Reference is made to WO 2012 / 163455 A1 from the applicant's company. This document describes how blanks 19 made of cardboard for bundle packs 10 are transported lying flat along a conveyor, wherein the blank 19 is guided between mutually facing conveyor belts 42, 43 of two endless conveyors.The conveyor belts 42, 43 initially run in the plane of a transport track 31 and are then deflected into an upright section via a deflection roller 46 (see Fig. 4 and 5 respectively).
[0007] In practice, it has been shown that this type of deflection of the blanks between the two conveyor belts is problematic and can lead to damage to the blanks, for example in the form of scratches or similar on the surface of the blanks. The damage is caused by the different speeds of the two conveyor belts and the blanks in the area of the deflection. Both conveyor belts are driven at the same speed, but have to cover different distances in the same time in the area of the deflection pulley due to the different radii. This results in relative movement between the conveyor belts and the blanks located between them. The resulting slippage between the conveyor belts and the blanks can therefore lead to scratches or similar. In addition, there is increased wear in the area of the belt surfaces facing the blanks.This problem increases with increasing cutting thickness or increasing thickness of the products to be handled in general.
[0008] Based on this, the object of the present invention is to further develop the known methods and devices for diverting products, in particular with regard to more gentle handling of the products.
[0009] A device for achieving this object has the features of claim 1. Accordingly, it is provided that the speed of the transport means is adapted to the speed of the products in the region of the respective side surfaces. In this way, the aforementioned relative movements between the transport means and the products can at least be reduced, since the speed of the transport means is thus adapted to the speed of the product at the contact surface.
[0010] If, in the context of the present application, it is assumed that the first and second transport directions run transversely to one another, this is to be understood as meaning that the second transport direction has a course that differs from the first transport direction.
[0011] For the purposes of this application, products of the cigarette industry are understood to mean 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.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the device, it can be provided that the products in the curved transport path rest with one side surface on at least one deflection belt as a first transport means, which is guided along the curved transport path, and rest with the opposite side surface on at least one freely rotating deflection roller as a second transport means, so that the products are held with the opposite side surfaces between the at least one deflection belt and the at least one deflection roller, in particular in a clamped manner, and can be conveyed along the curved transport path.
[0013] Preferably, it can further be provided that the products can be fed along a preferably rectilinear first transport path in the first transport direction of the deflection device, and that the products can be conveyed following the deflection device along a preferably rectilinear second transport path in the second transport direction, and that the curved transport path is arranged between the two transport paths.
[0014] According to a preferred development of the invention, it can be provided that the at least one deflection belt is driven by a driven deflection roller, wherein the diameter of the deflection roller is dimensioned such that the conveying speed of the deflection belt corresponds to the speed of the products.
[0015] Advantageously, it can be provided that the conveying speed of the deflection belt corresponds to the speed of the products in the region of the first side surface.
[0016] Alternatively, it can be provided that the conveying speed of the deflection belt corresponds to the speed of the products in the area of the neutral fiber of the products.
[0017] A special feature may be that the freely rotating deflection pulley is mounted on an axle by means of a rolling bearing and, in particular, is not driven.
[0018] Because the deflection roller is freely rotating and rests against the product with a portion of its peripheral surface, it automatically adapts to the product's speed. A separate control or regulation of the speed of this transport device is therefore unnecessary. Furthermore, a (separate) drive for the freely rotating deflection roller is eliminated.
[0019] Furthermore, it can be provided that the device is designed to transport the products in the second transport path between conveyor belts which are arranged on both sides of the products and which preferably run in a substantially upright or vertical plane, wherein the conveying speed of the conveyor belts corresponds to the transport speed of the products in the second transport path.
[0020] This solution can have the particular advantage that transport can also take place in the second transport section without relative movements to the conveyor belts.
[0021] Furthermore, it can be provided that the conveyor belts have a converging course in the transition from the curved transport path to the second transport path, so that the products transferred from the curved transport path can be inserted between the conveyor belts and are then held by them in a clamping manner.
[0022] In this way, it is possible to insert the products safely between the conveyor belts.
[0023] Furthermore, it can be provided that the conveying means for transporting the products in the region of the first and / or second transport path are coupled to the drive for the at least one deflection belt.
[0024] This solution can have the advantage of saving costs and space for an additional drive.
[0025] In a preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the deflection device has two axes, wherein the at least one driven deflection roller is arranged on a first axis and wherein the at least one freely rotating deflection roller is arranged on the second axis, and that drive rollers for the conveyor belts are arranged on the axes.
[0026] Preferably, it can be provided that the deflection belt rests in sections on the freely rotating deflection roller in the curved transport path, wherein the wrap angle of the at least one deflection belt on the freely rotating deflection roller is less than 90°.
[0027] This solution can have the advantage that the respective axes of the driven pulley and the freely rotating pulley can be arranged at the same height.
[0028] In a preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the device is designed to convey the products along the first transport path by means of parallel suction belts arranged at a distance from one another.
[0029] This solution can have the advantage of ensuring consistent and stable product transport. In this case, a collecting device can also be arranged between the suction belts. This solution can have the advantage of preventing products from falling between the suction belts.
[0030] In a preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the deflection belts and / or conveyor belts and / or suction belts are each provided in pairs.
[0031] A method according to the invention has the features of claim 15. Accordingly, it is provided that the speed of the transport means is adapted to the speed of the products in the region of the respective side surfaces.
[0032] Further process features may arise from the preceding claims and the description.
[0033] A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the drawing, in which:
[0034] Fig. 1 is a schematic, spatial representation of the product flow during the packaging of a group of cigarette packs,
[0035] Fig. 2 an enlarged view of the handling of blanks for bundle packs in the area of a deflection,
[0036] Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the device according to Fig. 2 along the section line III - III,
[0037] Fig. 4 shows a detail IV according to Fig. 3 in an enlarged view,
[0038] Fig. 5 shows a detail V according to Fig. 4 in an enlarged view,
[0039] Fig. 6 shows a detail VI according to Fig. 3 in an enlarged view, and Fig. 7 shows a section through the device along the section line VII - VII in Fig. 3.
[0040] The invention is described below using the deflection of blanks for cigarette packs. Since the deflection can also be used for other objects, the term "product 10" is used below for the object to be handled.
[0041] Fig. 1 shows the specific product flow for the exemplary embodiment. Packs 10 are fed to a pack forming device 11, preferably in a stacked fashion, where they are assembled into pack groups 12. Parallel to this, blanks 13 (product 10) for bundle packs 14 are removed from a blank stack 15 and fed to a deflection device 18 in a first transport direction 16 or along a corresponding first transport path 17. In the deflection device 18, the blanks 13 are deflected and then transported in a second transport direction 19 along a corresponding second transport path 20.
[0042] Both transport paths 17, 20 run in a straight line or linear direction, with the first transport path 17 or the first transport direction 16 running in a substantially horizontal plane and the second transport path 20 or the second transport direction 19 running in a substantially vertical plane. It is understood that the orientation of the planes may vary in individual cases depending on the respective circumstances.
[0043] Furthermore, the first transport path 17 or the first transport direction 16 and the second transport path 20 or the second transport direction 19 run transversely to each other, preferably at an angle of (approximately) 90°. It is understood that the angle may vary in individual cases depending on the respective circumstances.
[0044] A blank 13 as product 10 and a pack group 11 each meet in front of a first folding turret 21 and are inserted into a pocket 23 of the first folding turret 21 by means of an inserter 22. The blank 13 is partially folded around the pack group 11, and the folding is then completed during transport on the first folding turret 21. Both the feeding of the blank 13 or product 10 and pack group 11, as well as the folding of the blank 13 around the pack group 11, are well known from the prior art, so that a description of the details is omitted, especially since this is not of great importance for the present invention.
[0045] A film web 24 is unwound from a reel (not shown) and guided over deflection rollers (not shown) into a transfer station 25. The transfer station 25 is located between the first folding turret 21 and a subsequent second folding turret 26. The pack group 12 wrapped with the blank 13 in the first folding turret 21 is pushed out of the first folding turret 21 in the transfer station 25 and, in a known manner, inserted into a pocket 23 of the second folding turret 26 through a blank cut from the film web 24, whereby the blank is partially wrapped around the product. The blank serves to form a wrapper for the bundle pack 14.Subsequently, the folding of the film blank around the pack group 12 is completed in a known manner on the second folding turret 26, and the bundle pack 14 is pushed out and conveyed along a third transport path 27, wherein the wrapping of the pack group 12 can also be sealed in this third transport path 27. The bundle pack 14 is then conveyed upwards by means of an elevator (not shown) in a fourth transport path 28 running transversely to the third transport path 27, and is rotated in a turning station 29 (not shown). Finally, the bundle pack 14 is pushed out transversely at the end of the fourth transport path 28.
[0046] To ensure that the products 10 fed along the horizontal first transport path 17 can be positioned in the relative position required for further processing, the deflection device 18 is provided as a central element of the invention, in which the products 10 are deflected accordingly. Figs. 2 to 7 show the structure and operation of the deflection device 18.
[0047] The products 10 are therefore fed to the deflection device 18 via a pair of feed rollers 30, which transfers the products 10 individually and at a distance from one another into the first transport section 17. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the products 10 are transported lying on two parallel suction belts 31 in the first transport section 17. The products 10 rest on the suction belts 31 in the region of lateral longitudinal edges. The suction belts 31 are designed as endless conveyors and each run over several different deflection rollers 51 and a first drive roller 32. A metal sheet (not shown in the drawings), for example, can be arranged between the two suction belts 31 as a collecting means in order to prevent the products 10 from possibly falling between the suction belts 31.
[0048] In the area of the deflection device 18, the products 10 are held between two transport means and conveyed by these. A deflection belt 33 is provided as the first transport means. A freely rotating deflection roller 34 serves as the second transport means. The deflection belt 33 and the freely rotating deflection roller 34 rest on opposite sides of the product 10 and transport the product by means of a corresponding conveying or rotating movement through the deflection device 18 or along a curved transport path 35 formed by the inside of the deflection belt 33 and the circumference of the freely rotating deflection roller 34, which is arranged between the first transport path 17 (running horizontally in this embodiment) and the second transport path 20 (running vertically in this embodiment).
[0049] The deflection belt 33 is guided as an endless conveyor over various deflection pulleys 51 and is driven by a driven deflection pulley 36, against whose circumference it rests in sections. Furthermore, the deflection belt 33 rests with a section on the circumference of the freely rotating deflection pulley 34, with the wrap angle 52 of the deflection belt 33 on the freely rotating deflection pulley 36 preferably being less than 90°. In this way, the freely rotating deflection pulley 34 and the driven deflection pulley 36 can be arranged at the same height.
[0050] Both the freely rotating deflection pulley 34 and the driven deflection pulley 36 are arranged on a respective axle 37, 38. However, the freely rotating deflection pulley 34 is mounted on the axle 38 by means of a roller bearing 39. In this way, speed differences between the transport means and the products 10 are avoided. The transport speed of the products 10 in the area of the side surface facing the deflection belt 33 corresponds to the conveying speed of the deflection belt 33. The rotational speed of the freely rotating deflection pulley 34 is in turn determined by the transport speed of the products 10 in the area of the side surface facing the deflection pulley 34. In particular, slippage between the opposite side surfaces of the products 10 and the transport means can be avoided in this way.
[0051] As shown in Figs. 2 and 7, two parallel deflection belts 33 and, correspondingly, two driven deflection rollers 36 and two freely rotating deflection rollers 34 are provided, which are arranged on the two axles 37, 38. The driven deflection rollers 36 and freely rotating deflection rollers 34 are each arranged externally on the axles 37, 38. Between them, adjacent to the driven deflection rollers 36 and freely rotating deflection rollers 34, pairs of second drive rollers 40 are arranged on the axles 37 and 38. These drive rollers serve to drive conveyor belts 41, 42, between which the second transport path 20 is formed. The conveyor belts 41, 42 are also arranged in pairs on each side.
[0052] Fig. 3 shows the course of the conveyor belts 41, 42 designed as endless conveyors. The conveyor belts 41 on the left in Fig. 3 run from the respective second drive roller 40 in the conveying direction, initially diagonally downwards over a first slalom roller 43 and from there vertically downwards to a first lower deflection roller 44 with counter roller 45. They then go upwards to a first tensioning roller 46 and from there back to the second drive roller 40. The conveyor belts 42 on the right in Fig. 3 run from the respective second drive roller 40 in the conveying direction, initially diagonally downwards over a second slalom roller 47 and from there to a second lower deflection roller 48, from there upwards to a second tensioning roller 49 and back to the respective second drive roller 40.
[0053] As shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the two slalom rollers 43, 47 serve to converge the two-sided conveyor belts 41, 42 in the conveying direction, so that the deflected products 10 can be introduced between the conveyor belts 41, 42 and then clamped between the conveyor belts 41, 42 for transport in the second transport direction 19. The conveying or transport speed i of the conveyor belts 41, 42 and the products 10 is consistent and preferably also corresponds to the transport speed Vi of the products 10 during the horizontal feed to the deflection device 18 (Fig. 4). Figs. 4 and 5 show, in addition to the wrap angle 52, that the speed V uof the deflection belt 33 on its inner side is greater than the speed of the circumference of the freely rotating deflection pulley 34, which here corresponds to Vi. The speed of the deflection belt 33 during deflection is determined by the diameter of the driven deflection pulley 36. This diameter is calculated such that the deflection belt 33 and product 10 have the same speed in the contact plane during the deflection, so that no relative movement occurs between them.
[0054] It is understood that the described deflection device 18 can be used not only in the specific situation but also for products 10 other than (flat) blanks 13. Likewise, the position or orientation of the first and second transport paths 17, 20 is not important and can be adapted as required.
[0055] List of reference symbols
[0056] 10 Product 42 Conveyor Belts
[0057] 11 Package formation 43 first slalom roll
[0058] 12 Packing group 44 first lower pulley
[0059] 13 Cutting 45 Counter roll
[0060] 14 bundle pack 46 first tension pulley
[0061] 15 cutting stack 47 second slalom roll
[0062] 16 first transport direction 48 second lower pulley
[0063] 17 first transport section 49 second tension pulley
[0064] 18 Deflection device 51 various deflection pulleys
[0065] 19 second transport direction 52 wrap angle
[0066] 20 second transport route
[0067] 21 first folding revolver
[0068] 22 inserts
[0069] 23 Bag
[0070] 24 film strips
[0071] 25 transfer station
[0072] 26 second folding revolver
[0073] 27 third transport route
[0074] 28 fourth transport route
[0075] 29 Turning station
[0076] 30 pairs of feed rollers
[0077] 31 suction belt
[0078] 32 first drive roller
[0079] 33 Deflection belts
[0080] 34 freely rotating pulley
[0081] 35 curved transport route
[0082] 36 driven pulley
[0083] 37 Axis
[0084] 38 Axis
[0085] 39 rolling bearings
[0086] 40 second drive roller
[0087] 41 conveyor belts
Claims
Patent claims 1. A device for handling products (10), in particular for blanks (13) made of packaging material for packaging products (10) of the cigarette industry, comprising a deflection device (18), wherein the products (10) can be fed to the deflection device (18) in a first transport direction (16), and wherein the deflection device (18) is designed to deflect the products (10) in a second transport direction (19) which runs transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to the first transport direction (16), and wherein the deflection device (18) is designed to deflect the products (10) by transporting them along a curved transport path (35), and wherein the products (10) can be conveyed in the region of the curved transport path (35) by transport means of the deflection device (18), against which the products (10) rest in the region of opposite side surfaces, characterized in thatthat the speed of the transport means is adapted to the speed of the products (10) in the area of the respective side surfaces., 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the products (10) in the curved transport path (35) rest with one side surface on at least one deflection belt (33) as a first transport means, which is guided along the curved transport path (35) and rest with the opposite side surface on at least one freely rotating deflection roller (34) as a second transport means, so that the products (10) are held with the opposite side surfaces between the at least one deflection belt (33) and the at least one freely rotating deflection roller (34) in particular in a clamped manner and can be conveyed along the curved transport path (35).
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the products (10) can be fed along a preferably rectilinear first transport path (17) in the first transport direction (16) of the deflection device (18), and that the products (10) can be conveyed following the deflection device (18) along a preferably rectilinear second transport path (20) in the second transport direction (19), and that the curved transport path (35) is arranged between the two transport paths (17, 20).
4. Device according to claim 2 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one deflection belt (33) is driven by a driven deflection roller (36), wherein the diameter of the driven deflection roller (36) is dimensioned such that the conveying speed of the deflection belt (33) corresponds to the speed of the products (10).
5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the conveying speed of the deflection belt (33) corresponds to the speed of the products (10) in the region of the first side surface.
6. Device according to claim 2 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the freely rotating deflection roller (34) is mounted on an axle by means of a rolling bearing (39) and in particular is not driven.
7. Device according to claim 3 or one of the other preceding Claims, characterized in that the device is designed to transport the products (10) in the second transport path (20) between conveyor belts (41, 42) which are arranged on both sides of the products (10) and which preferably run in a substantially upright or vertical plane, wherein the conveying speed of the conveyor belts (41, 42) of the Transport speed of the products (10) in the second transport section (20).
8. Device according to claim 7 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the conveyor belts (41, 42) have a converging course in the transition from the curved transport path (35) to the second transport path (20), so that the products (10) transferred from the curved transport path (35) can be inserted between the conveyor belts (41, 42) and are then held by them in a clamping manner.
9. Device according to claim 3 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the conveying means for transporting the Products (10) in the region of the first transport path (17) and / or second transport path (20) are coupled to the drive for the at least one deflection belt (33).
10. Device according to claim 7 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the deflection device (18) has two axes (37, 38), wherein the at least one driven deflection roller (36) is arranged on a first axis (37) and wherein the at least one freely rotating deflection roller (34) is arranged on the second axis (38), and that drive rollers (40) for the conveyor belts (41, 42) are arranged on the axes (37, 38).
11. Device according to claim 2 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the deflection belt (33) in the curved transport path (35) rests in sections on the freely rotating deflection roller (34), wherein the wrap angle (52) of the at least one deflection belt (33) on the freely rotating deflection roller (34) is less than 90°.
12. Device according to claim 3 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the device is designed to convey the products (10) along the first transport path (17) by means of parallel suction belts (31) arranged at a distance from one another.
13. Device according to claim 12 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that a collecting means is arranged between the suction belts (31).
14. Device according to claim 1 or one of the other preceding claims, characterized in that the deflection belts (33) and / or conveyor belts (41, 42) and / or suction belts (31) are each provided in pairs.
15. Method for handling products (10), in particular for blanks (13) made of packaging material for packaging products (10) of the cigarette industry, wherein the products (10) are fed in a first transport direction to a deflection device (18), and wherein the products (10) in the Deflection device (18) are deflected into a second transport direction which runs transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to the first transport direction, and wherein the products (10) are deflected by transport along a curved transport path (35) in the deflection device (18), and wherein the products (10) are conveyed in the region of the curved transport path (35) by transport means of the deflection device (18), against which the products (10) rest in the region of opposite side surfaces, characterized in that the speed of the transport means is adapted to the speed of the products (10) in the region of the respective side surfaces.
16. Method according to claim 15, characterized by the method steps contained in claims 1 to 14. *****