Loading, transporting and unloading cardboard box or crate type items

Abstract

The invention relates to a gripping device (1) for mounting on a robot (2) for a palletizing installation, for loading, transporting, and unloading box or crate-type items (3), said device (1) comprising a support (5) for attaching to said robot (2) and a guiding means (6) mounted on said support (5). The device is characterized in that it comprises: - at least two facing jaws (4) mounted movably on said guiding means (6), for gripping at least one item (3) from the sides with said support (5) above said at least one item (3), - an actuating means (7) for independently moving said jaws (4) along said guiding means (6) between a position of the jaws (4) away from each other and a gripping position. The invention also relates to an installation for loading, transporting and unloading articles (3), and a method for palletizing articles (3).Figure for the abridged version: Fig. 1.

Description

Title of the invention: Loading, transporting and unloading of articles of the cardboard box or crate type

[0001] Technical field: The present invention relates to the palletization of articles of the cardboard box or crate type and concerns, more particularly, an improvement to the handling robot which picks up the articles, brought for example by a supply conveyor, to arrange them on a pallet. Its subject is a gripping device to be mounted on a robot, allowing one or more articles of the cardboard box or crate type to be loaded, transported and then unloaded, in particular for loading pallets with articles to be transported which are of different external dimensions and of different natures.

[0002] The invention also relates to a palletizing installation with such a device and the operating method which implements it.

[0003] State of the art: In a known manner, within a container packaging line, said containers can pass through several different successive treatments, such as manufacturing, filling, then closing with a cap and labeling. For handling purposes, such containers are packaged in batches. The containers are first grouped together, and then each group may be wrapped to form a batch, in particular covered with a film, in order to hold the containers together and facilitate handling of such a batch thus obtained.

[0004] The groups of containers, coated or not, can also be placed in cardboard boxes or crates. These cardboard boxes or crates are then moved and stacked to form layers on a pallet for storage or handling.

[0005] In a packaging line, the palletizer is part of what is called the end of the line, that is to say that it receives articles such as crates, cardboard boxes, including containers which come out of a packaging installation at a certain rate.

[0006] Technical background: Palletizing installations generally comprise a structure which acts as a chassis to support the handling or palletizing robot. The gripping head of such a robot can be pivoting and be equipped with suction cups to pick up the articles on the supply conveyor and then arrange them, with the correct orientation, on the pallet.

[0007] This type of installation is subject to numerous constraints linked to the nature of the articles, their weight, their size or even the rates of the installation. By Furthermore, the palletizer must be versatile enough to allow the loading of items of various formats: it must be able to load items of different sizes, but also of different types: closed cardboard box, open crate, pre-cut crate, tray, etc.

[0008] Palletizing installations are known that are capable of handling different formats. To allow for great versatility, the equipment, and in particular the gripper, are very bulky. This equipment cannot be used in confined environments, where the space available for palletizing is reduced. In this type of environment, the robot's movements are limited, and become increasingly restricted in terms of amplitude as palletizing progresses. Equipment that is too bulky cannot perform palletizing optimally. Grippers with a smaller footprint are also known, for example suction cup type grippers. However, these grippers are much less versatile and cannot grip items of any kind, such as an open crate for example.Furthermore, moving the item only from above is unreliable: if the cardboard box is of lower quality, it may deform or even tear when picked up and moved, especially if it is heavy.

[0009] In the field of the invention, it is therefore necessary to develop a solution making it possible to simplify the placement of articles on a pallet, by giving the gripping device itself a large range of movement.

[0010] The present invention provides a gripping device for a palletizing installation which makes it possible to meet all the conventional constraints attached to this type of equipment. In particular, it provides a very versatile and space-saving gripping device, which comprises a support, a guide means on which two jaws facing each other are mounted, the two jaws being movable along the guide means. The gripping device allows, for example, the gripping of one or more referenced articles in position on one side of a feed conveyor. The gripping device according to the invention allows the body to be kept in the axis of the palletizing robot, which is particularly advantageous in the case of confined environments, in particular for secure palletizing installations. Indeed, the movements of the body of the gripping device and the jaws can be managed independently, and the device is then not hindered by the environment, for example by a curtain or a safety partition. Furthermore, the gripping device according to the invention allows the articles to be placed on the edges of a pallet without the gripping device overflowing after having moved the articles still held on one side of said gripping device. Indeed, the dimensions and operation of the gripping device not only allow sufficient jaw spacing to be able to load items of any nature and size, but also not to interfere with a confined environment, within which the movement ranges of a palletizing robot may be limited. Therefore, even if the gripping device has adequate dimensions for loading very large items, it must also be able to load small items. In this case, its dimensions may be inconvenient during unloading, due to the filling rate of the pallet, or due to the structure of the palletizing installation. However, the movement of the jaws along the guide means allows the device to place items on the edges of a pallet without its body overhanging. The mobility of the two jaws of the gripping device therefore allows for great versatility of use, whether this concerns the number of items to be gripped, their nature, or even their dimensions. Such a device can also be adapted to completely enclosed palletizing installations, in which the palletizing robot has limited freedom of movement.

[0011] Summary of the invention: In the field of the invention, it is therefore necessary to develop a compact, versatile and reliable device, allowing the loading, transport and unloading of articles of various dimensions and types (closed cardboard, open crate, etc.), and this in an installation of limited size.

[0012] The invention thus aims to provide a gripping device to be mounted on a robot for a palletizing installation, for loading, transporting and unloading articles of the box or crate type, said device comprising a support for fixing to said robot, and a guide means mounted on said support. The device according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises at least two jaws facing each other and mounted movably on said guide means, to grip at least one article from the sides with said support above said at least one article and an actuating means for moving said jaws independently of each other along said guide means between a position separated from said jaws and a gripping position.

[0013] According to a possible additional characteristic, the guide means is a linear guide.

[0014] In embodiments, the jaws of the gripping device are plates.

[0015] According to a possible additional feature, the jaws are plates and at least one plate extends under the support of the device and is orthogonal to the guiding direction.

[0016] In embodiments, the jaws are plates and at least one plate is oriented at an angle of about five to fifteen degrees, with the distal ends of the plates being closer than the proximal ends. The fact that at least one plate is oriented allows the clamping force to be adjusted when gripping at least one article.

[0017] Advantageously, at least one of the jaws is a flexible plate, preferably in the form of a plurality of flexible blades. The use of flexible blades makes it possible both to adjust the clamping force and to adapt to variations in the dimensions of the articles to be gripped.

[0018] In embodiments, the actuating means comprises for at least one jaw a control module comprising: - a movable member mounted on the guide means and to which the corresponding jaw is fixed, - a belt to which said member is attached and - a motor for driving said belt.

[0019] In embodiments, the actuating means comprises for at least one jaw a control module comprising: - a movable member mounted on the guide means and to which the corresponding jaw is fixed and - a linear motor for driving said moving member.

[0020] According to a possible additional characteristic, at least one control module comprises a force detector for controlling the movement of at least one jaw as a function of the measured force, in particular the movement of the jaw in the form of a flexible blade plate, where appropriate.

[0021] The invention also relates to an installation for loading, transporting and unloading articles, having a pick-up zone for loading at least one article and a drop-off zone for unloading said articles. The installation comprises at least one conveyor for supplying said articles, said at least one supply conveyor opening into a pick-up zone. The installation is characterized in that it comprises at least one gripping device as described above, said at least one device being coupled to a robot via a pairing means mounted on the support of said device, said robot moving said at least one device.

[0022] The invention also relates to a palletizing method for implementing such a device, comprising for a palletizing cycle at least the following steps: - loading at least one item at a gripping area, said loading comprising positioning said device, the support of said device coming placing itself above said at least one article, and said loading comprising the movement of at least one of said jaws along a guide means, to grip said at least one article by its sides, - transporting said at least one article gripped by said device, from said gripping area and to a depositing area via said robot, - unloading said at least one article onto a pallet at said depositing zone by moving said jaws away from each other along said guide means.

[0023] According to a possible additional characteristic, during the execution of at least one of the steps of the palletizing method, the two jaws move along the guide means while maintaining at least one article gripped by the gripping device.

[0024] In possible embodiments, at least two different positions of the jaws are indexed relative to the support of the device for two successive palletizing cycles.

[0025] According to a possible additional characteristic, during the step of loading an article, a first jaw, called a reference jaw, is fixed along the guide means while a second jaw, called a clamping jaw, moves along the guide means to grip said at least one article.

[0026] In embodiments, the clamping force of the jaws is adjusted when loading at least one article.

[0027] Brief description of the figures: The invention will be better understood thanks to the description below, which is based on possible embodiments, explained in an illustrative and in no way limiting manner, with reference to the appended figures, in which: - [Fig.l] schematically represents a perspective view of an embodiment of the gripping device;

[0028] - [Fig.2] schematically represents a side view of a gripping device attached to the end of a robot in the form of a robotic arm;

[0029] - [Fig.3] schematically represents a simplified view from above of an installation equipped with a gripping device, during a first step of loading an article from a gripping area, showing in particular the movement of the jaws relative to each other to grip said article by its sides;

[0030] - [Fig.4] schematically represents a side view of an installation equipped with a gripping device, showing a step of depositing said article by transporting said device via the movement of the robotic arm:

[0031] - [Fig.5] schematically represents a view similar to [Fig.4], during a step of removing another item, showing in particular the movement of the jaws combined with the movement of the robotic arm.

[0032] Detailed description: In the remainder of the description, elements having an identical structure or similar functions will be designated by the same reference.

[0033] A palletizing installation comprises a palletizing robot 2 on which a gripping device 1 is mounted. The robot 2, which may take the form of a robotic arm, transports the device 1 from one position to another, whether said device 1 is loaded or not. While the robot 2 performs the movement functions, the gripping device 1 performs the actions of loading and unloading articles 3 of the box or crate type. As will be detailed below, the gripping device 1 can also move one or more gripped articles 3 without the robot 2 having to perform any additional movement. Loading is carried out by the gripping device 1 which will pick up an article 3 in a gripping zone 10. After transporting the picked up article 3, via the movement of the robot 2, the device 1 releases said article 3 onto a pallet 100 located in a drop-off zone 11.

[0034] According to the invention and for the execution of the different movements, the gripping device 1 comprises a support 5 in order to allow its attachment to a palletizing robot 2 via a pairing means 9.

[0035] The gripping device 1 comprises two jaws 4 facing each other and mounted movably on a guide means 6, said guide means 6 being mounted on the support 5. A possible embodiment of such a gripping device 1 is visible in [Fig.l]. Advantageously, during a step of loading at least one article 3, at least one of the two jaws 4 moves along the guide means 6 to grip at least one article 3 from the sides. During this step, the support 5 is located above said at least one article 3 to be gripped. The gripping device 1 also comprises an actuating means 7 which makes it possible to move said jaws 4 independently of one another along the guide means 6 between a position separated from said jaws 4 and a clamping position. Preferably, the actuating means 7 is mounted on the support 5. In embodiments, and as will be described further below, the actuating means 7 comprises, for each jaw 4, a control module 8, said control module 8 being able to be mechanical and / or magnetic. In embodiments, the actuating means 7 comprises a force detector. The jaws 4 move longitudinally in the plane of the guide means 6 fixed on the support 5, in a guide direction. Preferably, the jaws 4 move horizontally along said guide means 6. This allows each jaw 4 to move independently from one side to the other of the gripping device 1, said device 1 then being much more versatile and gaining in freedom of movement, all the more so when the pallet 100 in the depositing zone 11 reaches a high filling level. Indeed, not only does the gripping device 1 allow the clamping, that is to say the gripping, of one or more articles 3 on the sides, but also the movement of said one or more articles 3 from one side to the other of the gripping device 1. Thus, while the movements and the range of movement of the robot 2 may be constrained by the structure of the palletizing installation, or even more or less limited depending on the filling rate of the pallet, the article or articles 3 clamped by the jaws 4 can then be moved from one side to the other of the gripping device 1.This therefore allows the device 1 to position itself in a location that is accessible or easier to access for the robot 2, while allowing one or more articles 3 to be unloaded at the desired position. The invention therefore allows two types of movement of the loaded articles 3, a movement generated by the robot 2, and a movement generated by the jaws 4.

[0036] It is understood that the jaws 4 of the gripping device 1 can be positioned before loading one or more articles 3 on one side or the other of the guide means 6, depending on the movements to be carried out subsequently via the robot 2 to transport and then unload said one or more articles 3 in the depositing zone 11. Furthermore, once the gripping device 1 is located in the depositing zone 11, said one or more articles 3 can still be moved, while remaining held by the jaws 4, along the guide means 6, before being unloaded by said gripping device 1. These movements of the jaws 4 are also conceivable during the step of transporting at least one article 3, grasped and held by the gripping device 1, from a gripping zone 10 to a depositing zone 11. It is therefore, for example, possible to position the gripping device 1 without requiring overly sophisticated movements, which can extend the duration of the palletizing cycles, or large amplitude movements of the robot 2, the mobility of the jaws 4 allowing the device 1 to unload articles 3 at the desired position. For example, it is possible to position the gripping device 1 above the pallet 100, without overflowing, then to unload one or more articles 3 at any location on the pallet, and in particular on the edges of said pallet in an optimal manner, without moving the device 1 again. The gripping device 1 is therefore very versatile and benefits from a large range of action, which does not depend solely on the position of the device 1. gripping. This is particularly useful in cases where the palletizing robot 2 performs the movements in a confined space. The movement of the jaws 4 along the guide means 6 further facilitates the accessibility of the extreme drop-off points by the robot. An extreme drop-off point is, for example, a pallet edge furthest from said robot.

[0037] It is easy to see the numerous advantages linked to the invention and its high capacity for moving the articles 3 to be loaded, transported and unloaded, the different movements not only being ensured by a palletizing robot 2 but also by the gripping device 1 itself.

[0038] According to a possible additional characteristic, the guide means 6 is a linear guide rail.

[0039] The clamping position corresponds to a position in which the jaws 4 hold the article(s) 3 to allow their loading or transport before their unloading. The articles 3 can then be transported, lifted, from a gripping zone 10 to the depositing zone 11. The gripping device 1 will then, for example, grip one or more articles 3 directly from one or more supply conveyors 15. Thus, in embodiments, a flow of articles 3 is brought by at least one supply conveyor which arrives in the gripping zone. The spaced position corresponds to a position for preparing said jaws 4 prior to a loading step and / or to a position in which the jaws 4 unload one or more articles 3 onto a pallet in the deposit zone 11.

[0040] As visible in [Fig.l], in embodiments, the jaws 4 of the gripping device 1 are plates 40. Said plates 40 extend under the support 5.

[0041] According to an additional characteristic, at least one jaw 4 is in the form of a plate 40, said first plate 40 extending under the support 5 and being orthogonal to the guiding direction.

[0042] In embodiments, at least one jaw 4 is in the form of a plate 40, said plate 40 extending under the support 5 and being oriented at an angle of approximately five to fifteen degrees, preferably five degrees, the distal ends of the jaws 4 being closer than the proximal ends.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the jaws 4 are plates 40 extending under the support 5, one plate 40 being orthogonal to the guiding direction and the other plate 41 being oriented towards the plate 40 at an angle of about five to fifteen degrees, preferably five degrees and the distal ends of the jaws 4 being closer than the proximal ends. In other words, the oriented plate 41 converges vertically from top to bottom towards the other plate 40, when the plates 40, 41 extend under the support 5.

[0044] Advantageously, this makes it possible to adjust the clamping force when loading the packages, by making it possible to maintain a large contact surface between the oriented plate 41 and the article(s) 3 being loaded. In particular, this allows the adjustment of the clamping force while maintaining a large contact surface with the article 3 thanks to the bending of the plate 41 which is oriented before clamping. The higher the clamping force, the more the oriented plate 41 will bend until it becomes orthogonal to the guiding direction. The surface in contact with the side 20 of the article 3 will be maximum, which will ensure the best holding of the heaviest articles 3.

[0045] In embodiments, at least one of the jaws 4 is a flexible plate 40, preferably in the form of a plurality of flexible blades 400. A jaw 4 in the form of a flexible plate 40 is particularly advantageous. Indeed, this allows the gripping device 1 to grip a single or several packages or articles 3 simultaneously, the packages possibly being of non-identical dimensions. This therefore further increases the versatility of the gripping device 1. This also makes it possible to optimally control the clamping force of the gripping device 1. In embodiments, at least one jaw 4 is a flexible plate 40 in the form of a plurality of flexible blades 400. The flexible blades 400 are for example made of carbon fiber, high-strength steel blade. Advantageously, the flexible blades make it possible to better control the pushing force, and to apply it precisely to the article(s) 3 to be gripped. In particular, the gripping device 1 can simultaneously grip several articles 3, said articles 3 having slightly different dimensions. This variability is for example linked to manufacturing tolerances of the packaging, or even to shaping defects. In this case, there are offsets between the articles 3 to be gripped simultaneously. The use of at least one jaw 4 in the form of a flexible plate 40 provided with a plurality of blades 400 then makes it possible to guarantee good gripping of all the articles 3, the independence of each blade 400 making it possible to match the offsets between the articles 3. Thus, a sufficient contact surface is obtained between each blade 400 of the flexible plate 40 and one side 20 of the articles 3 to be loaded.

[0046] Preferably, the at least one of the plates 40, 41 oriented at an angle of approximately five to fifteen degrees is a flexible plate 40, 41. The flexibility of a plate 40, 41 contributes to modulating the force applied when gripping one or more articles. In possible embodiments, a first jaw 4 is in the form of a flexible plate 40 in the form of a plurality of flexible blades 400, said plate 40 being oriented at an angle of approximately five to fifteen degrees and a second jaw 4 is in the form of a rigid plate 41. A rigid plate 41 is understood to mean a plate whose deformation remains low under the clamping force. The use of at least one jaw 4 in the form of a rigid plate 40, 41 makes it possible to hold the gripped article 3 in position and facilitates the placement of said article 3 on a pallet 100.

[0047] According to a possible additional characteristic, visible in [Fig.l], the actuating means 7 comprises, for each jaw 4, a control module 8 formed of a movable member 80 mounted on the guide means 6 and to which the corresponding jaw 4 is fixed, of a belt 81 to which said member 80 is fixed and of a motor 82 for driving said belt 81. This possible embodiment advantageously makes it possible to move each jaw 4 independently in a reliable and easy manner.

[0048] Preferably, the motor 82 is a servomotor. This embodiment allows controlled clamping of the packages thanks to the limitation of the clamping torque permitted by the motors, while having a reduced size, unlike clamping by pneumatic cylinders. The measurement of the applied force is then carried out by the servomotor controller.

[0049] According to a variant, the actuating means 7 comprises for each jaw 4 a control module 8 formed of a movable member 80 mounted on the guide means 6 and to which the corresponding jaw 4 is fixed and of a linear motor for driving said movable member 80.

[0050] In embodiments, the control module 8 can therefore be a mechanical and / or magnetic control module 8.

[0051] In embodiments, the gripping device 1 comprises a force detector for controlling the movement of at least one jaw 4 as a function of the measured force.

[0052] According to a possible additional characteristic, the force detector is included in the at least one control module 8 to more optimally control the movement of at least one jaw 4 as a function of the measured force. This is particularly advantageous for controlling the movement of the jaw 4 when it is in the form of a flexible plate 40, preferably in the form of a plurality of flexible blades 400. Indeed, the use of a jaw 4 in the form of a flexible plate 40 advantageously allows the gripping of groups of articles 3 of non-identical dimensions. In this case, it is necessary to adjust the clamping force to the dimensions of the article 3 or of the group of articles 3, but also to the rigidity or even to its weight, in order to guarantee reliable loading of the articles 3.

[0053] The invention also relates to an installation for loading, transporting and unloading articles 3, having a gripping zone 10 and a depositing zone 11. The palletizing installation may also comprise a supply conveyor 15 for the articles 3 to be palletized, said supply conveyor 15 opening at the gripping zone 10. The invention further comprises a gripping device 1 as described above, said gripping device 1 being coupled to a robot 2, such as a robotic arm, via a matching means 9 mounted on the support 5 of said device 1. The robot 2 allows the gripping device 1 to move between the gripping zone 10 and the depositing zone 11, for the palletization of articles 3.

[0054] Finally, the invention relates to a palletizing method for implementing a gripping device 1 as described previously.

[0055] The method comprises, for a palletizing cycle, a step of loading at least one article 3 by the gripping device 1 at a gripping zone 10. The loading step comprises a first phase of positioning the device 1, the support 5 of said device 1 being placed above said at least one article 3. The positioning step optionally comprises a step of moving at least one jaw 4 along the guide means 6. The step of loading at least one article 3, visible in [Fig. 3] in a top view, comprises a second phase during which at least one of the jaws 4 moves along the guide means 6 to grip said at least one article 3 by its sides 20. The jaws 4 therefore move from a spaced apart position to a gripping position. At the end of the loading step, at least one article 3 is therefore loaded, that is to say held by its sides 20, gripped, by the jaws 4 of the gripping device 1.

[0056] The method also comprises a step of transporting said at least one loaded article 3, from the gripping zone 10 to a depositing zone 11, the transport being carried out by the robot 2 to which the gripping device 1 is attached. This step is visible in [Fig.4], which shows the approach of the gripping device 1 to the depositing zone 11.

[0057] The method also comprises a step of unloading said at least one article 3 gripped onto a pallet 100 at the level of the depositing zone 11. This unloading step is carried out by moving the jaws 4 away from each other along the guide means 6. For example, the unloading step can be carried out by moving at least one of the jaws 4 of the device 1 along the guide means 6 in order to move from a clamping position to a spaced position, the at least one jaw 4 moving away from the other jaw 4. This moving away of the two jaws 4 from each other can for example be carried out by the movement of a single jaw 4, or by the movement of the two jaws 4, each going to one side or the other of the guide means 6, or even each of the jaws 4 going in the same direction along the guide means 6, but at different speeds. [Fig. 2] shows a side view of a gripping device 1 fitted to the end of a robotic arm, where the possible movements of the jaws 4 are illustrated by arrows. The transition from the clamping position to the separated position is carried out by the movement of at least one jaw 4 along the guide means 6, said at least one jaw 4 moving away from the at least one gripped article 3. This transition between a clamping position and a spaced position can also be done by simultaneously moving the two jaws 4 in opposite directions, or by moving the two jaws 4 in the same direction but at different speeds. Preferably, during the unloading step, and in particular when articles 3 are already located on the pallet 100, a first jaw 4 is positioned against the side 20 of an article 3 on the pallet 100, and a second jaw 4 moves away from the gripped article 3 to release it and unload it onto said pallet 100. In other words, a single jaw 4 moves along the guide means 6 to unload the gripped article(s) 3. In possible embodiments, during the unloading step, the two jaws 4 move along the guide means 6, and the robot 2 accompanies the movement of one of the jaws 4 so that the position of said jaw 4 does not vary. This is particularly useful when articles 3 have already been unloaded onto the pallet 100. Thus, the movement of the jaws 4 will not cause the movement or fall of the articles 3 already present on said pallet 100.

[0058] According to a possible additional characteristic, beforehand, during or at the end of the execution of at least one of the steps of the method, the two jaws 4 move along the guide means 6, while keeping the at least one article 3 gripped. To do this, the two jaws 4 can move jointly along the guide means 6, in the same direction and at the same speed. In particular, prior to the transport step, or during it, or at the end of this step, the at least one gripped article 3 can be moved along the guide means 6 from one side to the other of the gripping device 1 by moving said jaws 4. This is particularly advantageous when the robot 2 has to move in a restricted space. Indeed, the robot 2 can position the device 1 over several successive cycles at the same position, or at a position that is easy for said robot 2 to access, while the gripping device 1 will finalize the correct positioning of the at least one article 3 to be unloaded, by moving said at least one article 3 to clamp along the guide means 6. The correct execution of the palletizing steps is therefore guaranteed, thanks to the characteristics of the gripping device 1. [Fig.5] shows a step of unloading an article 3, where, simultaneously with the transport of said article 3, the jaws 4 move while remaining in the clamping position along the guide means 6, in order to allow optimal positioning of the article 3 before its unloading.

[0059] In embodiments, for two successive palletizing cycles, at least two different positions of the jaws 4 are indexed relative to the support 5 of the device 1. Indexing involves recording the position of the 4 jaws during each palletizing cycle. This recording can be done using position sensors, with the positions possibly being transmitted to a control unit. Thus, recording the position of the jaws 4 during the unloading of the article makes it possible to optimize the positioning of the device 1 during the following cycle. This is particularly interesting when the filling of the pallet 100 is almost complete and the freedom of movement of the gripping device 1 is even more limited. It is in particular possible to place the gripping device 1 in the same position over several successive cycles, taking into account the indexed positions, to guarantee good unloading onto the pallet 100 of the at least one loaded article 3.

[0060] According to a possible additional characteristic, during the step of loading at least one article 3, a first jaw 4 called the reference jaw is fixed along the guide means 6 while a second jaw 4 called the clamping jaw moves along the guide means 6 to grip said at least one article 3. Thus, the transition from a spaced position to a clamping position is achieved by moving only one of said jaws 4.

[0061] According to a possible additional characteristic, when the transition from a spaced position to a clamping position during the loading of at least one article 3 is carried out by the movement of a single jaw 4, the clamping force of said jaws 4 is adjusted.

[0062] The gripping device 1 according to the invention therefore advantageously makes it possible to load, transport and unload one or more articles 3, reliably. Furthermore, the device 1 is versatile, and not only makes it possible to load articles 3 of different nature and / or dimensions, but also to adapt to restricted spaces.

[0063] Although the above description is based on particular embodiments, it is in no way limiting of the scope of the invention, and modifications may be made, in particular by substitution of technical equivalents or by different combination of all or part of the characteristics developed above.

Claims

Claims

1. Gripping device (1) to be mounted on a robot (2) for a palletizing installation, for loading, transporting and unloading articles (3) of the box or crate type, said device (1) comprising: - a support (5) for fixing to said robot (2), - a guide means (6) mounted on said support (5), - at least two jaws (4) facing each other and mounted movably on said guide means (6), said jaws (4) moving longitudinally in the plane of said guide means (6), in a guide direction, to grip at least one article (3) from the sides with said support (5) above said at least one article (3), - an actuating means (7) for moving said jaws (4) independently of each other along said guide means (6) between a position separated from said jaws (4) and a gripping position, device characterized in that: - said jaws (4) are plates (40),at least one plate (40) extending under said support (5) and being orthogonal to said guiding direction.,

2. Gripping device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide means (6) is a linear guide.

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one plate (40) is oriented at an angle of about five degrees to fifteen degrees, the distal ends of the plates (40) being closer than the proximal ends.

4. Gripping device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the jaws (4) is a flexible plate (40), preferably in the form of a plurality of flexible blades (400).

5. Gripping device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuating means (7) comprises for at least one jaw (4), a control module (8) comprising: - a movable member (80) mounted on the guide means (6) and to which the corresponding jaw (4) is fixed, - a belt (81) to which said member (80) is fixed and - a motor (82) for driving said belt (81).

6. Device (1) according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the actuating means (7) comprises for at least one jaw (4) a control module (8) comprising: - a movable member (80) mounted on the guide means (6) and to which the corresponding jaw (4) is fixed, - a linear motor for driving said movable member (80).

7. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one control module (8) comprises a force detector for controlling the movement of at least one jaw (4) as a function of the measured force, in particular the movement of the jaw (4) in the form of a plate (40) with flexible blades (400), if applicable.

8. Installation for loading, transporting and unloading articles (3), having: - a gripping zone (10) for loading at least one article (3); - a depositing zone (11) for unloading said articles (3); said installation comprising at least one supply conveyor (15) for said articles (3), said at least one supply conveyor (15) opening into a gripping zone (10), said installation being characterized in that it comprises at least one device (1) according to claims 1 to 7, said at least one device (1) being coupled to a robot (2) via a pairing means (9) mounted on the support (5) of said device (1), said robot (2) moving said at least one device (1).

9. Palletizing method for implementing a gripping device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, comprising for a palletizing cycle at least the following steps of: - loading at least one article (3) at a gripping zone (10), said loading comprising the positioning of said device (1), the support (5) of said device (1) being placed above said at least one article (3), and said loading comprising the movement of at least one of said jaws (4) along a guide means (6), to grip by its sides (20) said at least one article (3); - transporting said at least one article (3) gripped by said device (1), from said gripping zone (10) and towards a depositing zone (10) via said robot (2); - unloading said at least one article (3) onto a pallet (100) at said depositing zone (11) by moving said jaws (4) away from each other along said guide means (6).

10. Palletizing method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that during the execution of at least one of the steps of the method, the two jaws (4) move along the guide means (6) while maintaining at least one article (3) gripped by the device (1).

11. Palletizing method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that at least two different positions of the jaws (4) are indexed relative to the support (5) of the device (1) for two successive palletizing cycles.

12. Palletizing method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that, during the step of loading an article (3), a first jaw (4), called a reference jaw, is fixed along the guide means (6), while a second jaw (4) called a clamping jaw, moves along the guide means (6) to grip said at least one article (3).

13. Palletizing method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the clamping force of said jaws (4) is adjusted when loading at least one article (3).

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