Device, method and system for organising flat products in stacks or arranged on the side

Abstract

A device (1) for organising flat products (2) in stacks or arranged on the side, characterised in that it comprises a first wall (3) and a second wall (4). The first wall (3) is transverse to the second wall (4). The first wall (3) defines a first support surface, intended, in use, to receive a base portion of a flat product (2). The second wall (4) defines a second support surface intended, in use, to receive a side portion of a flat product (2).

Description

[0001] DEVICE, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ORGANISING FLAT PRODUCTS IN STACKS OR ARRANGED ON THE SIDE DESCRIPTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for organising flat products in stacks or arranged on the side, in particular food products moving forward in a production and / or packaging and / or transfer line.

[0003] The present invention further relates to a method and a system for organising flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side carried out by means of at least one device also subject-matter of the present invention.

[0004] The present invention finds application, for example, in the food industry and more particularly in those processing steps, called portioning, prior to packaging flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side.

[0005] More generally, the present invention finds application in those sectors in which the production of flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side is required.

[0006] Flat products can be understood as food products such as for example biscuits in which one dimension is negligible compared to the other two.

[0007] In this sector, it is known the need to organise a number of flat products in a stack and / or arranged on the side that are subsequently packaged.

[0008] Before being stacked, the flat products are moved using at least one conveyor, also made in the form of a carousel, equipped with movement members on which gripping / release members are mounted which are adapted to pick up the flat products and transfer them to a subsequent area.

[0009] For example, the movement members of the carousel pick up the flat products moving forward on a conveyor exiting from an oven or a cooling system and transfer them to a conveyor where stacks of flat products are created depending on the packaging to which the same flat products will be subjected. To date, the most common packaging systems for flat products provide for a collection of products from a process line and an organization of the packaging flow so as to obtain products in rows and / or arranged on the side ordered through the use of slides and guides.

[0010] The products are stacked by using, in the packaging line, belts with different speeds in order to allow the overlapping of the products and therefore the formation of a stack of products.

[0011] In fact, when a product arrives on a belt that moves at a lower speed than the previous belt, it creates an accumulation of the product itself that overlaps with the one arriving.

[0012] In addition, as the speed of the product transport belts varies, the inclination of the overlapping products and therefore also the number of products per portion of belt varies.

[0013] The stacked products move forward horizontally and then reach the portioning systems, generally dedicated to products in a stack or products arranged on the side.

[0014] The portioners for products in a stack provide for conveying the horizontal flow of the products in special vertical gravity loaders from which the products that make up the portion are ejected and the portion is transferred directly to the catenanes of the packaging machines.

[0015] Instead, the portioners for biscuits arranged on the side provide for conveying the horizontal flow of products in special loaders which, working intermittently and carrying out an appropriate rotation of the stack of products in order to obtain products arranged on the side, receive the portion to be transferred to the catenanes of the packaging machines. An example of a device of the prior art is described in document KR20190017192.

[0016] It is advisable to try to contain as much as possible the encumbrances caused by the machinery and simplify the mechanics linked to the process for creating flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side and to the packaging process in order to reduce the costs due to the management and maintenance of such machinery throughout the production chain.

[0017] The technical task of the present invention is therefore to make available a device, a method and a system for organising flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side that are able to overcome the drawbacks arising from the prior art.

[0018] The object of the present invention is therefore to make available a device, a method and a system for organising flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side that are able to overcome the problems of encumbrance given by the dimensions of the current systems capable of creating flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side.

[0019] A further object of the present invention is also to make available a device and a system for organising flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side that is not bulky while satisfying the volumetric needs of the known production lines.

[0020] A further object of the present invention is to make available a device, a method and a system for organising flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side that is compact, suitable for handling large production volumes and flexible since it allows both the organization of flat products in stacks and the organization thereof arranged on the side.

[0021] A further object of the present invention is to make available a device, a method and a system for organizing flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side that allow realizing flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side with different numerosity. The specified technical task and purposes are substantially achieved by a device, method and system for organising flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side comprising the technical features set forth in one or more of the appended claims.

[0022] The dependent claims correspond to possible embodiments of the invention. In particular, the specified technical task and the specified purposes are achieved by a device for organising flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side, preferably but not limited to baked confectionery products.

[0023] The device for organising flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side comprises a first wall and a second wall.

[0024] Preferably, the first wall is transverse to the second wall.

[0025] According to one aspect of the present description, the first wall has a smaller extension than the second wall and defines a first support surface, intended to receive a base portion of a flat product.

[0026] The second wall defines a second support surface intended, in use, to receive a side portion of a flat product.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the device further comprises a third wall reversibly couplable to the first wall so as to be parallel and opposite to the second wall. The third wall is intended to perform the function of an abutment wall for the flat products when the stack of flat products is returned to a vertical position after a first inclination.

[0028] According to a further embodiment, the device comprises a fourth wall reversibly couplable to the second wall so as to be parallel and opposite to the first wall. The fourth wall is intended to perform the function of an abutment wall for the flat products when the stack of flat products is rotated so as to bring the flat products to the arrangement on the side.

[0029] The specified technical task and the specified purposes are also achieved by a method for organising flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side carried out by using at least one device subject-matter of the present invention. The method comprises the steps of:

[0030] - positioning the device at a release seat of products of a conveyor;

[0031] - introducing a plurality of flat products into at least one device;

[0032] - moving the device containing the plurality of flat products from the release seat to an extraction station;

[0033] - extracting the flat products organised in stacks and / or arranged on the side. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear clearer from the indicative, and therefore non-limiting, description of an embodiment of a device and a method for organising flat products in stacks or arranged on the side.

[0034] Such description will be set forth herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings, provided for merely indicative and therefore nonlimiting purposes, wherein:

[0035] - Figures 1A - 1 H are schematic representations in perspective of positions of use of the device for organising flat products in stacks or arranged on the side subject-matter of the present description;

[0036] - Figures 2A - 3B are schematic representations of the system for organising flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side subject-matter of this description.

[0037] With reference to the attached figures, 1 denotes overall the device for organising flat products 2 in stacks or arranged on the side, which for simplicity of description will be referred to below as device 1 .

[0038] Flat products 2 are three-dimensional products (e.g. food products such as biscuits) in which one dimension is negligible compared to the other two. Therefore, a flat product 2 is a product having a side portion having dimensions negligible compared those of the base portion.

[0039] The device 1 for organising flat products 2 in stacks or arranged on the side comprises a first wall 3 and a second wall 4. The first wall 3 is transverse to the second wall 4.

[0040] As shown in the attached figures, the first wall 3 is perpendicular to the second wall 4.

[0041] By way of example only, Figures 1A-1 H report embodiments in which the first wall 3 has a smaller extension than the second wall 4.

[0042] In accordance with different embodiments not reported in the attached figures, the first wall 3 and the second wall 4 can have the same dimensions.

[0043] The first wall 3 defines a first support surface intended, in use, to receive a base portion of a flat product 2.

[0044] The second wall 4 defines a second support surface intended, in use, to receive a side portion of a flat product 2.

[0045] In other words, the first wall 3 and the second wall 4 are intended, in use, to create an L-shaped element that allows the formation of a stack of flat products 2 when subsequent flat products 2 are released into the device 1 by at least one release member 12 of the at least one movement member 11 of a conveyor 8.

[0046] The device 1 is movable, in use, between a first configuration, reported in Figure 1 B, wherein the first wall 3 defines a support base of the device 1 itself, and a second configuration, reported in Figure 1 C, wherein the device 1 is inclined.

[0047] In other words, once the flat products 2 have been introduced on the device 1 this device 1 must be moved from the release seat 7 to a subsequent station for extracting the flat products 2 from the device 1. During this movement the device 1 can be inclined in order to prevent the flat products 2 from falling from the device 1 .

[0048] Therefore, the device 1 undergoes a rotation around an axis “X” defined by the meeting of the first wall 3 and the second wall 4.

[0049] In other words, by rotating around the axis “X” the device 1 passes from a first configuration, reported in Figure 1 B, to a second configuration, reported in Figure 1 C, wherein the device 1 is inclined.

[0050] According to a further aspect reported in Figure 1 D, the device 1 comprises a third wall 5 reversibly couplable to the first wall 3 so as to be parallel and opposite to the second wall 4.

[0051] Advantageously, the third wall 5 is intended to perform the function of abutment wall for the flat products 2 when the stack of flat products 2 is returned to a vertical position, as reported in Figure 1 D, following a first inclination illustrated in Figure 1 C.

[0052] By having the flat products 2 available in a vertical position, it is possible to extract the stack of flat products 2, illustrated in Figure 1 E, in a special extraction station.

[0053] If it is necessary for specific packaging needs to obtain an arrangement of the flat products 2 on the side and not in a stack, the device 1 is movable in a third configuration, reported in Figure 1 F, wherein the second wall 4 defines a support base of the device 1 itself.

[0054] In fact, once the device 1 is inclined, as reported in Figure 1 C, if it were necessary to package the flat products 2 on the side, the device 1 is movable in a third configuration reported in Figure 1 F, in which following a further rotation around the axis “X” the second wall 4 defines a support base of the device 1 .

[0055] According to a further aspect of the present description, the device 1 comprises a fourth wall 6 reversibly couplable to the second wall 4 so as to be parallel and opposite to the first wall 3.

[0056] Advantageously, the fourth wall 6 is intended to perform the function of abutment wall for the flat products 2, as reported in Figure 1 G, in order to allow the flat products 2 to be maintained on the side when the device 1 is brought into the third configuration, reported in Figure 1 F.

[0057] Having the flat products 2 available in this arrangement, it is possible to extract the flat products 2 arranged on the side, as illustrated in Figure 1 H. It is also an object of the present invention, a method for organising flat products 2 in stacks and / or arranged on the side carried out by means of at least one device 1 subject-matter of the present description.

[0058] The method comprises the steps of positioning the device 1 at a release seat 7 of flat products 2 of a conveyor 8, introducing a plurality of flat products 2 in the at least one device 1 , moving the device 1 containing the plurality of flat products 2 from the release seat 7 to an extraction station and finally extracting the flat products 2 organized in stacks and / or arranged on the side.

[0059] The step of positioning at least one device 1 at a release seat 7 of flat products 2 of a conveyor 8 comprises the step of establishing a number of release members 12 of the conveyor 8 and subsequently the step of introducing a device 1 at each release member 12 of the conveyor 8.

[0060] In other words, the conveyor 8 in accordance with what is reported in Figure 2 can be made in the form of a carousel 10 adapted to move the flat products 2 from a loading seat 9 to a release seat 7.

[0061] In the release seat 7, in particular at each release member 12, a device 1 adapted to receive a plurality of flat products 2 is positioned.

[0062] According to what is reported in Figures 2A and 2B, provided for the sole purpose of explaining an embodiment and not limiting different embodiments of the carousel 10, the carousel 10 is equipped with a plurality of movement members 11 each of which has at least one release member 12 at which the device 1 on which a flat product 2 is released is positioned.

[0063] Figures 3A and 3B, provided for exemplary and non-limiting purposes only of different embodiments of the carousel 10, report the embodiment according to which the carousel 10 is equipped with a plurality of movement members 11 each of which has three release members 12 at which a device 1 is positioned on which a flat product 2 is released.

[0064] The carousel 10 comprises a plurality of movement members 11 .

[0065] According to one aspect the carousel 10 comprises twelve movement members 11 each of which has at least one release member 12. Therefore, following a complete rotation of the carousel 10 around an axis “Y” twelve flat products 2 will be collected in the device 1 .

[0066] According to a further aspect represented in the attached Figures 3A and 3B, the carousel 10 is provided with a plurality of release members 12 for each movement member 11 . Therefore, a plurality of devices 1 can be positioned in the release station 7, each of which will receive a flat product 2 from each release member 12.

[0067] In other words, with each rotation around the axis “Y” of the carousel 10, a flat product 2 will be released in each device 1 positioned in the release station 7.

[0068] In accordance with the embodiments reported in Figures 2A and 2B, following different rotations of the carousel 10 for each device 1 positioned in the release seat 7, the number of flat products 2 collected depends on how many release members 12 are available on each movement member 11 for the transfer of flat products 2.

[0069] In other words, the number of flat products 2 collected on each device 1 , thus the number of flat products 2 that will form the stack and / or the side of flat products 2 depends on how many release members 12 the same device 1 meets, since each release member 12 deposits a flat product 2 on the device 1 .

[0070] In accordance with the embodiment reported in Figure 2B, there are two release seats 7 in which the flat products 2 are released by the respective release members 12 to be then arranged alternately in stacks or on the side in the subsequent stations.

[0071] The number of devices 1 present in the release seat 7 is preferably equal to the number of release members 12 present on each movement member 11 of the carousel 10.

[0072] Subsequent to the step of the method in which a plurality of flat products 2 are introduced into the at least one device 1 , the method provides for the step of moving the device 1 .

[0073] The step of moving the device 1 comprises the step of carrying out a rotation of the device 1 , around the axis “X” thereof, so that the device 1 passes from a first configuration, wherein the first wall 3 defines a support base of the device 1 itself, to a second configuration, wherein the device 1 is inclined.

[0074] Advantageously, the second configuration therefore the inclination of the device 1 allows the movement of the same without the flat products 2 contained therein falling.

[0075] Subsequently to the step of moving the device 1 from the release seat 7 to the extraction seat, the method also provides for a step of carrying out a further rotation of the device 1 from the second configuration to the first configuration to extract the flat products 2 in stacks. In other words, the device 1 in the second configuration is moved until reaching the extraction seat where the stack of flat products 2 is extracted by the device 1.

[0076] Once the device 1 is returned to a vertical position, thus in the first configuration, wherein the first wall 3 defines a support base of the device 1 itself, the stack of flat products 2 is extracted by the device 1 .

[0077] Subsequently to the step of moving the device 1 from the release seat 7 to the extraction seat, the method further comprises a step of carrying out a further rotation of the device 1 from the second configuration to a third configuration, wherein the second wall 4 defines a support base of the device 1 itself for extracting the flat products 2 arranged on the side.

[0078] In other words, once the device 1 is in a second configuration if the packaging needs so require, the device 1 can undergo a further rotation around the same axis “X”, until reaching the third configuration, wherein the second wall 4 defines a support base of the device 1 .

[0079] Once this arrangement has been reached, made possible by the presence of the fourth wall 6 of the device 1 , the flat products 2 arranged on the side can be extracted.

[0080] The present description also relates to a system 15 in accordance with what is reported in Figure 2 for organising flat products 2 in stacks or arranged on the side.

[0081] The system 15 comprises a conveyor 8 having a loading seat 9 of the flat products 2 and a release seat 7 of the flat products 2. Preferably, the conveyor 8 is made in the form of a carousel 10 as described above.

[0082] At the release seat 7 the device 1 is positioned in accordance with the present description.

[0083] Advantageously, the present invention makes available a device 1 , a method and a system for organising flat products 2 in stacks or arranged on the side, obviating the problems of encumbrance given by the dimensions of the current systems capable of ordering the flat products 2 in stacks or arranged on the side. Advantageously, the device 1 for organising flat products 2 in stacks or arranged on the side, despite being small in size compared to what is used in the prior art, allows to meet the needs of the production lines.

[0084] Even more advantageously, the device 1 and the method for organising flat products 2 in stacks and / or arranged on the side make it possible to reduce costs during transport, obtaining a more compact and efficient transfer of the products from the release seat to the extraction seat.

[0085] Advantageously, the use of the device 1 and the implementation of the method for organising flat products 2 in stacks and / or arranged on the side make it possible to achieve an economic efficiency in the construction of the packaging plant of the flat product 2.

[0086] Advantageously, the system 15 subject-matter of the present description allows to realize the method for organising flat products 2 in stacks or arranged on the side using the device 1 which is positioned in the release seat 7 of the conveyor 8 that is made in the form of a carousel 10 and therefore further contributes to reducing the spaces necessary for moving the flat products 2, such as biscuits.

[0087] Advantageously, the device 1 , the method and the system 15 for organising flat products in stacks and / or arranged on the side allow to manipulate large production volumes of flat products and guarantee maximum flexibility in the organization of the flat products since the organization of flat products both in stacks and arranged on the side having each different numerosity are made possible.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Device (1 ) for organising flat food products (2) in stacks or arranged on the side, characterized in that it comprises a first wall (3) and a second wall (4), wherein the first wall (3) is transverse to the second wall (4) and wherein the first wall (3) defines a first support surface, intended, in use, to receive a base portion of a flat product (2), and said second wall (4) defining a second support surface intended, in use, to receive a side portion of a flat product (2); wherein said device (1 ) is movable, in use, between:- a first configuration, wherein said first wall (3) further defines a support base of the device (1 ) itself;- a second configuration, wherein said device (1 ) is inclined; and- a third configuration, wherein said second wall (4) defines a support base of the device (1) itself.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1 , comprising a third wall (5) reversibly couplable to said first wall (3) so as to be parallel and opposite to said second wall (4).

3. Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising a fourth wall (6) reversibly couplable to said second wall (4) so as to be parallel and opposite to the first wall (3).

4. Method for organising flat products (2) in stacks or arranged on the side carried out by means of at least one device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising the steps of:- positioning the device (1 ) at a release seat (7) of flat products (2) of a conveyor (8);- introducing a plurality of flat products (2) into at least one device (1 );- moving the device (1) containing said plurality of flat products (2) fromsaid release seat (7) to an extraction station;- extracting flat products (2) organised in stacks or arranged on the side.

5. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the step of positioning at least one device (1 ) at a release seat (7) of flat products (2) of a conveyor (8) comprises the steps of:- establishing a number of release members (12) in the release seat (7) of the conveyor (8);- introducing a device (1 ) at each release member (12) of the conveyor (8).

6. Method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the step of moving the device (1 ) comprises the step of carrying out a rotation of the device (1 ) so that the device (1 ) passes from a first configuration, wherein said first wall (3) further defines a support base of the device (1 ) itself, to a second configuration, wherein said device (1 ) is inclined.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein subsequent to the step of moving the device (1) from the release seat (7) to the extraction seat, the method further comprises a step of carrying out a further rotation of the device (1 ) from the second configuration to the first configuration for extracting the flat products (2) in stacks.

8. Method according to claim 6, wherein subsequent to the step of moving the device (1) from the release seat (7) to the extraction seat, the method further comprises a step of carrying out a further rotation of the device (1 ) from the second configuration to a third configuration, wherein said second wall (4) defines a support base of the device (1 ) itself for extracting the flat products (2) arranged on the side.

9. System for organising flat products (2) in stacks and / or arranged on the side, comprising a conveyor (8) having a loading seat (9) of the flatproducts (2) and a release seat (7) of the flat products (2) comprising at least one device (1 ) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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