Device and detection arrangement for detecting flat objects received on a carrier material
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/DE2025/100321
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-01
Smart Images
Figure DE2025100321_01102026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001]
[0002] Applicant microsonic GmbH
[0003] Phoenixseestraße 7
[0004] 44263 Dortmund
[0005] Our reference MSC2501PCT
[0006] Date: March 27, 2025
[0007] Device and detection arrangement for detecting flat objects mounted on a carrier material
[0008] The invention relates to a device for detecting flat objects, in particular labels, which are separated from one another by a gap on a carrier material extending longitudinally to a dispenser edge in a conveying plane and movable in a conveying direction running in the conveying plane. The device comprises
[0009] a fork-shaped housing which has two fork arms connected to each other at a distance from each other via a connecting section, wherein a space between the fork arms forms a detection area within which the carrier material with the flat objects held on it can be moved past in the conveying plane and in the conveying direction,
[0010] an ultrasonic transmitting transducer, which is housed in a first fork arm of the housing, and an ultrasonic receiving transducer, which is housed in a second fork arm of the housing,
[0011] wherein the housing is held in a preferred operating position of the device such that the ultrasonic transmit transducer and the ultrasonic receive transducer form a measuring section inclined at a defined angle to the conveying plane and the conveying direction of the carrier material, within which the flat objects can be detected and through which the carrier material with the flat objects mounted on it can be moved in the conveying plane and in the conveying direction.
[0012] Furthermore, the invention relates to a detection arrangement comprising a device for detecting flat objects, in particular labels, and comprising a carrier material extending longitudinally to a dispenser edge in a conveying plane and movable in a conveying direction running in the conveying plane, on which the flat objects are received separated from one another by a gap.
[0013] The flat objects to be detected are, in particular, labels that are mounted, especially affixed, to the backing material. To detach the flat objects or labels from the backing material, it is known that the backing material, moving in a conveying direction, is deflected over a dispenser edge with a sharp edge, so that the flat objects or labels detach from the backing material.
[0014] Devices for detecting flat objects on a substrate are known, which incorporate optical sensors. In these devices, the optical sensors emit light that passes through the substrate containing the flat objects. However, this sensor principle, also known as the transmitted light method, fails with transparent labels, opaque substrates, or when the attenuation difference between the substrate and the substrate with the labels is too small. For these applications, devices incorporating ultrasonic sensors or ultrasonic transducers are suitable. In these devices, an ultrasonic transmitting transducer emits short pulses that cause the substrate containing the flat objects to vibrate. On the opposite side, a highly attenuated ultrasonic wave is emitted and received by an ultrasonic receiving transducer.The signal received by the receiver transducer is evaluated to determine the signal difference between the signal level of the substrate alone and the substrate plus flat objects. An evaluation unit sets a switching threshold between these two signal levels. If this threshold is undershot, a signal output is activated to indicate that the leading edge of a flat object has been detected.
[0015] Since sound travels much slower in air than light, it is inherent in the nature of ultrasound-based label sensors that they can never operate as quickly as optical label sensors that use the transmitted light method. Therefore, there is a continuous effort to reduce the time required for an ultrasound measurement as much as possible, approaching the physical limit of the pure sound propagation time between transmitter and receiver, and to minimize the distance between the ultrasound transmitter and receiver.
[0016] If the measuring section, consisting of an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver, is aligned perpendicular to the substrate, a pulse emitted by the ultrasonic transmitter strikes the substrate and sets it into vibration. Simultaneously, most of the sound power is reflected back by the substrate and returns to the ultrasonic transmitter to be reflected again. The sound thus travels back and forth between the ultrasonic transmitter and the substrate multiple times until it is completely absorbed by the air. The same effect can be observed on the opposite side of the substrate. The sound wave emitted by the substrate itself, or by the substrate with labels, is received by the ultrasonic receiver, and at the same time, most of the sound power is reflected back towards the substrate.Here too, the sound travels back and forth between the substrate and the ultrasonic receiver multiple times until it is completely absorbed in the air. Therefore, with the measuring section perpendicular to the substrate, the next measurement can only be started once the sound within the measuring section has been completely absorbed. To increase the measurement speed, the measuring section in previously known ultrasound-based devices of this type is always inclined a few degrees from the surface normal of the substrate. This inclination of the measuring section is intended to ensure that the sound component reflected by the ultrasonic transmitter is reflected away from the measuring section as quickly as possible. The same applies to the opposite sides of the substrate.By tilting the measuring section, the sound wave reflected from the front of the ultrasonic receiver is reflected out of the measuring section as quickly as possible. This tilting reduces the time it takes for all sound components within the measuring section to be completely absorbed by the air. The next measurement can therefore be started much sooner. However, some sound components still enter the fork opening and must be completely absorbed by the air before the next measurement can begin.
[0017] In known devices of this type, the ultrasonic transducers are often recessed a few millimeters into the housing. This leads to unwanted reflections (interference signals) of ultrasonic waves due to the offset of the transducer's sound transmission surfaces or apertures relative to the housing, resulting in blind holes. These multiple reflections, also known as standing ultrasonic waves, must be completely absorbed by the air before the next measurement can be started.
[0018] A device of the aforementioned type with ultrasonic transducers recessed relative to the surrounding housing is disclosed in DE 102012 111 009 A1. In this device, the ultrasonic transducers are oriented at an angle relative to the parallel fork arms of the housing and, during use, transversely to the transport direction of the carrier material. This requires additional installation space, resulting in a comparatively large, less compact, fork-shaped housing. Consequently, the device can only be positioned at a relatively large distance from a dispenser edge for detaching the flat objects from the carrier material. DE 102008023185 A1 discloses a device of this generic type with recessed ultrasonic transducers, wherein the sound transmission surfaces of the ultrasonic transducers are each covered with a metal aperture.The metal apertures have a aperture hole to reflect back or away, as much as possible, the interference signals caused by the offset of the sound transmission surfaces or by multiple reflections of standing ultrasound waves, thus keeping them out of the measuring section formed between the apertures. The metal apertures therefore reduce the interference of standing ultrasound waves and contribute to improved detection sensitivity of the device. However, a disadvantage is that sound components are reflected back and forth multiple times between the ultrasound transducers and the metal apertures, meaning that the next measurement cannot be started until all sound components have been completely absorbed by the air.Furthermore, a disadvantage of this device with metal apertures is that, during operation, the substrate material typically rubs against the metal aperture associated with the ultrasonic transducer, which can lead to negative mechanical damage to the substrate material and the flat objects mounted on it. The metal apertures also make cleaning and visual inspection of the ultrasonic transducers more difficult. In addition, the metal apertures and the ultrasonic transducers, which are inclined relative to the longitudinal axes of the housing's fork arms and, during use, perpendicular to the transport direction of the substrate material, hinder a compact device design that would allow positioning as close as possible to the dispenser edge.
[0019] It is a continuous endeavor for devices for detecting flat objects, especially labels, that are mounted on carrier material, that the device is positioned as close as possible to the dispenser edge so that the leading edge of the next flat object to be detached from the carrier material at the dispenser edge and applied to a product can be reliably detected.
[0020] If the device cannot be positioned close enough to the dispenser edge, it is necessary to calculate backwards across several flat objects to the current leading edge of the object to be applied. This calculation, which involves multiple objects, always results in significant length deviations, meaning that the desired placement accuracy of the object on the product cannot be guaranteed.
[0021] In order to enable a device for detecting flat objects mounted on carrier material to be positioned as close as possible to the dispenser edge, efforts in the development of such devices are focused on making the fork arm of the device housing, which accommodates the ultrasonic transducer, as flat as possible.
[0022] EP 3173345 B1 discloses a device for the compact detection of flat objects mounted on a substrate, featuring a deflection device upstream of the ultrasonic receiver's sound transmission surface for double sound deflection. A disadvantage of this device is that the deflection path for the ultrasonic signal cannot be extended arbitrarily, making it impractical to detect, for example, wide strips of substrate in DIN A4 format. Furthermore, cleaning and inspection of the deflection device are relatively complex, and during operation, contaminants such as paper dust can enter the device and impede sound deflection.The ultrasonic transducer is recessed into the housing, which can lead to the previously described problem of multiple sound reflections and thus interference signals.
[0023] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved device or an improved detection arrangement in such a way that accelerated detection of flat objects, in particular labels, which are mounted on a carrier material is made possible.
[0024] To solve the problem, the invention, in conjunction with the preamble of claim 1, is characterized in that a sound transmission surface of the ultrasonic transmitting transducer is enclosed flush by a flat first fork arm surface of the first fork arm and a sound transmission surface of the ultrasonic receiving transducer is enclosed flush by a flat second fork arm surface of the second fork arm, which is parallel to the first fork arm surface, wherein the sound transmission surfaces are each completely exposed and are aligned opposite each other and wherein the measuring section is inclined along or against the conveying direction of the carrier material.
[0025] Preferably, the device operates according to the transmission principle known from the prior art. The ultrasonic transmitter emits short pulses that cause the substrate material containing the flat objects to vibrate. On the opposite side, a highly attenuated ultrasonic wave is emitted and received by the ultrasonic receiver. The signal received by the ultrasonic receiver is evaluated to determine the signal difference between the signal level of the substrate material alone and the signal level of the substrate material plus the flat objects. An evaluation unit housed within the casing sets a switching threshold between these two signal levels. If this switching threshold is undershot, a signal output is activated to indicate that the leading edge of a flat object has been detected.
[0026] The device according to the invention is characterized by several special advantages:
[0027] Due to the flush arrangement of the sound transmission surfaces or apertures of the ultrasonic transducers to the surrounding fork arm surfaces of the housing according to the invention, the influence of interference signals due to multiple reflected ultrasonic waves, so-called standing ultrasonic waves, is reduced.
[0028] The sound transmission surfaces and the fork arm surfaces form a common flat sound reflection surface, which advantageously ensures that ultrasound waves reflected back from the carrier material or from the flat objects are reflected essentially in a single common reflection direction.
[0029] Furthermore, this flush arrangement according to the invention prevents dirt edges where dirt can accumulate.
[0030] Due to the inclination of the measuring section, the ultrasound is quickly guided out of the measuring section with minimal reflections between the common planar sound-reflecting surfaces and the carrier material or flat objects mounted on it. The inclination of the measuring section according to the invention, either along or against the transport direction, ensures particularly rapid removal of interference signals from the measuring section and enables reliable detection of flat objects even at high conveying speeds of the carrier material.
[0031] The sound transmission surfaces are completely exposed, meaning they do not need to be covered by a perforated plate or similar device. This is made possible by the flush arrangement of the sound transmission surfaces relative to the surrounding fork arm surfaces, as described in the invention. Advantageously, this makes the sound transmission surfaces less susceptible to dirt deposits, more easily accessible, and therefore easier to visually inspect and clean.
[0032] The housing's fork arms can be made more compact, and in particular flatter, thanks to the flush arrangement of the ultrasonic transducers. This allows them to be positioned closer to a dispensing edge where the carrier material can be deflected and the flat objects detached from it. Furthermore, the distance between the sound transmission surfaces of the ultrasonic transducers, and thus the measuring distance, as well as the space between the housing's fork arms, can be reduced, resulting in a shorter ultrasonic measurement time.
[0033] The use of ultrasonic transducers has the advantage that the ultrasonic measurement works independently of color and can therefore be used even with highly transparent and metallized flat objects, especially labels, with opaque substrate material, or when the attenuation difference between the substrate material on the one hand and the substrate with the flat object on the other hand is only slight.
[0034] The device according to the invention has the particular advantage that interference signals from multiple reflected ultrasonic waves are significantly reduced, thereby advantageously reducing the minimum time required between two ultrasonic measurements. Furthermore, the device can be positioned close to the dispenser edge, where the flat objects can be detached from the deflected carrier material for application to a product. Overall, the device according to the invention thus offers the particular advantage that the leading edge of a flat object positioned behind the dispenser edge with respect to the conveying direction can be reliably detected with high measurement accuracy.
[0035] The core idea of the invention is to embed the ultrasonic transducers in the fork arms of the housing in such a way that the sound transmission surfaces of the ultrasonic transducers are flush with the surrounding fork arm surfaces. In other words, this means that for each fork arm, a sound transmission surface and a surrounding fork arm surface lie in a common planar plane and form a common planar sound reflection surface.
[0036] According to the invention, both of these common planar planes are oriented parallel to each other and are each oriented perpendicular to the measuring section formed between the ultrasonic transducers or perpendicular to a beam axis of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic transducers.
[0037] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fork arms of the housing are oriented in mutually parallel longitudinal axes, with the fork arm surfaces, which flush enclose the sound transmission surfaces, being oriented parallel to the longitudinal axes of the fork arms. This means that the common planar planes of the sound transmission surfaces and fork arm surfaces are oriented parallel to the fork arms and their longitudinal axes, respectively. In this respect, the ultrasonic transducers are embedded in the fork arms perpendicular to their longitudinal axes, so that the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic sensors can be emitted perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the fork arms. This enables an advantageous, particularly flat design of the fork arms.
[0038] In order to orient the measuring section at an angle relative to the conveying plane and conveying direction of the carrier material, the housing is, according to the invention, to be moved into a preferred operating position in which it is oriented at a defined angle of inclination relative to the conveying plane and the conveying direction of the carrier material. The defined angle of inclination at which the measuring section is inclined relative to the conveying plane and along or against the conveying direction is preferably between 7° and 13°, particularly preferably about 11° to 13°, and most preferably about 11°.
[0039] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the fork arm surfaces extend longitudinally along the longitudinal axes of the fork arms with a length that is at least four times greater than the diameter of the sound transmission surfaces of the ultrasonic transducers. This results in the common reflection surfaces, formed by the mutually flush sound transmission surfaces and the surrounding fork arm surfaces of each fork arm, having an advantageous size to reflect interfering reflections upon impact in a single direction and to remove them from the measuring section within a short time.
[0040] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the measuring section is inclined opposite to the conveying direction. This corresponds to a particularly preferred operating position of the device. "Against the conveying direction" here means that, with a conveying direction from right to left in the conveying plane and up to the dispenser edge, the device is inclined clockwise relative to an auxiliary plane perpendicular to the conveying plane, and with an opposite conveying direction from left to right, it is inclined counterclockwise relative to the auxiliary plane perpendicular to the conveying plane.
[0041] In a particularly preferred configuration of the device, it is inclined opposite to the conveying direction, with the ultrasonic receiver facing the upper surface of the carrier material that receives the flat objects and the ultrasonic transmitter facing the lower surface of the carrier material opposite the upper surface. This configuration allows for an advantageous detection arrangement of the device as close as possible to the dispenser edge, since the first fork arm, in which the ultrasonic transmitter is embedded, can be made more compact than the second fork arm embedding the ultrasonic receiver. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, an ultrasonic frequency for the ultrasonic transmitter and for the ultrasonic receiver can be variably set or learned.Therefore, the time interval between individual measurements can be adjusted depending on the power and / or length of the ultrasonic pulse packets emitted by the ultrasonic transducers.
[0042] Preferably, the housing of the device has a button by which the ultrasonic frequency for the ultrasonic transducers can be changed.
[0043] In general, lower ultrasonic frequencies have a greater range and can penetrate denser materials and are more robust against interference from environmental factors such as dust or humidity, but have lower resolution and accuracy than higher ultrasonic frequencies.
[0044] A preferred first ultrasonic frequency for the ultrasonic transducers is 500 kHz. This high ultrasonic frequency has the advantage that individual measurements are possible from as low as 100 ps, thus enabling very high conveying speeds of the carrier material, and that the actual measurement spot on the carrier material is very small, allowing for the reliable detection of low-density, thin, flat objects.
[0045] A preferred second ultrasonic frequency for the ultrasonic transducers is 200 kHz. This comparatively lower ultrasonic frequency is suitable for penetrating thicker, denser substrate materials or thicker, denser flat objects that are not penetrable or reliably detectable with the preferred first ultrasonic frequency of 500 kHz.
[0046] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the ultrasonic transducers are operated in pulsed mode with alternating ultrasonic frequencies, preferably with a first ultrasonic frequency of 200 kHz and a second ultrasonic frequency of 500 kHz. This enables particularly flexible use of the device according to the invention for the detection of flat objects or carrier materials of varying properties. In order to be able to use the device independently of the conveying direction in which the carrier material is moved, a further development of the invention provides a holding adapter for the housing, described below.
[0047] In this respect, according to a further development of the invention, the device further comprises a holding adapter for the detachable mounting of the housing on an external holding element in a first mounting position and in a second mounting position, wherein in each of the mounting positions the device is held in the preferred operating position, i.e. with the measuring section inclined at the defined angle of inclination to the conveying plane and along or against the conveying direction of the carrier material, and wherein in the second mounting position the device is held inclined in a mirror image to the first mounting position with respect to a plane of symmetry oriented perpendicular to the conveying plane and the conveying direction of the carrier material.The holding adapter allows the device to be used for both opposing conveying directions of the carrier material, i.e., when the dispenser edge is located to the left of the device as well as when it is located to the right. The holding adapter serves as an adjustment element, ensuring that the device is held in a preferred operating position in both mounting positions. This means that the measuring section is inclined at a defined angle to the conveying plane or conveying direction of the carrier material, either clockwise or counterclockwise.
[0048] A further development of the invention provides that the retaining adapter has a rectangular recess and two parallel outer contact surfaces for contact with the external retaining element, wherein the outer contact surfaces are each inclined at a defined angle to the longitudinal surfaces of the rectangular recess. In the area of the connection section, the housing has a receiving groove shaped to correspond to the rectangular recess of the retaining adapter, onto which the retaining adapter can be slid in a first sliding position and in a second sliding position rotated 180° relative to the first sliding position. The retaining adapter can thus be detachably slid onto the receiving groove of the housing, which corresponds to the recess.The retaining adapter is guided in the receiving groove, and the receiving groove, through material protrusions, defines a stop point that ensures correct positioning of the retaining adapter relative to the housing. The outer contour of the retaining adapter is essentially parallelogram-shaped.
[0049] If the device according to the invention is to be used for a conveying direction of the carrier material in the opposite direction, the device can be easily converted to suit this purpose by rotating the holding adapter by 180°, sliding it onto the receiving groove and connecting it to the holding element.
[0050] For this purpose, the holding adapter preferably provides two adapter through-holes extending through the contact surfaces, and the housing preferably provides two through-holes in the area of the receiving groove arranged in alignment with the adapter through-holes, such that in the sliding positions a screw can preferably be passed through the adapter through-holes of the holding adapter and through the through-holes of the housing as a releasable fastening means for attaching the device to the external holding element.
[0051] To solve this problem, the invention has the features of claim 11. Accordingly, a detection arrangement comprises a device for detecting flat objects and a carrier material extending longitudinally to a dispenser edge in a conveying plane and movable in a conveying direction running in the conveying plane, on which the flat objects are received separated from one another by a gap.
[0052] wherein the device comprises a fork-shaped housing which has two fork arms connected to each other at a distance from each other via a connecting section,
[0053] wherein the carrier material with the flat objects mounted thereon is arranged and moved past within a space left between the fork arms, which forms a detection area, wherein the device comprises an ultrasonic transmit transducer which is mounted in a first fork arm of the housing, and an ultrasonic receive transducer which is mounted in a second fork arm of the housing,
[0054] wherein the ultrasonic transmit transducer and the ultrasonic receive transducer form a measuring section,
[0055] wherein a sound transmission surface of the ultrasonic transmitting transducer is enclosed flush by a flat first fork arm surface of the first fork arm and a sound transmission surface of the ultrasonic receiving transducer is enclosed flush by a flat second fork arm surface of the second fork arm that is parallel to the first fork arm surface,
[0056] wherein the sound transmission surfaces are each completely exposed and are aligned opposite each other, and
[0057] wherein the housing is inclined at a defined angle to the conveying plane and the conveying direction of the carrier material.
[0058] The detection arrangement according to the invention has the particular advantage that interference signals from multiple reflected ultrasonic waves are significantly reduced, thereby advantageously shortening the minimum time required between two ultrasonic measurements. The detection arrangement thus enables reliable detection of flat objects, especially labels, even at high conveying speeds of the carrier material. Furthermore, the detection arrangement can be positioned close to the dispenser edge, where the flat objects can be detached from the deflected carrier material for application to a product. Overall, the detection arrangement offers the additional advantage that the leading edge of a flat object positioned behind the dispenser edge with respect to the conveying direction can be reliably detected with high accuracy.
[0059] According to a preferred embodiment of the detection arrangement, the device is designed as a device according to the invention, which is arranged in a preferred operating position. In this respect, the detection arrangement and the device in a preferred operating position can be referred to interchangeably.
[0060] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention can be found in the dependent claims and the following description. Features mentioned therein can be essential to the invention individually or in any combination.
[0061] The features and details of the device described according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the detection arrangement according to the invention, and vice versa. Thus, the disclosure relating to the individual aspects of the invention can always be referred to reciprocally.
[0062] The drawings serve only as examples to clarify the invention and are not restrictive in nature.
[0063] They show:
[0064] Fig. 1 shows a schematic front view of a first embodiment of a detection arrangement according to the invention with a device according to the invention in a first preferred position for use,
[0065] Fig. 2 shows a schematic front view of a second embodiment of a detection arrangement according to the invention with the device according to the invention in a second preferred position of use,
[0066] Fig. 3 shows a perspective bottom view of the device according to the invention according to Fig. 1 with a holding adapter in a first sliding position,
[0067] Fig. 4 is a perspective top view of the device according to Fig. 1 with the holding adapter in the first sliding position; Fig. 5 is a side view of the device according to Fig. 1 with schematically indicated sliding options for the holding adapter onto a housing of the device.
[0068] Fig. 6 shows a front view of the holding adapter of the device according to the invention as shown in Fig. 1.
[0069] Fig. 7 shows a rear view of the holding adapter of the device according to the invention as shown in Fig. 1.
[0070] Fig. 8 shows the device according to the invention as shown in Fig. 1 in a first mounting position, mounted on a holding element and
[0071] Fig. 9 shows the device according to the invention as shown in Fig. 1 mounted in a second mounting position on the holding element.
[0072] A first embodiment of a detection arrangement according to the invention for detecting flat objects 11, in particular labels, on a carrier material 10 is shown in Fig. 1.
[0073] The flat objects 11 are separated from each other by a gap 20 and are mounted on the carrier material 10. The carrier material 10 extends longitudinally towards a dispenser edge 12 in a conveying plane and is movable towards the dispenser edge 12 in a conveying direction 200 running in the conveying plane. The dispenser edge 12 has a sharp edge at which the carrier material 10 is deflected. Due to the deflection at the dispenser edge 12, the flat object 11 mounted on the carrier material 10 can be detached from the carrier material 10, so that the detached flat object can be applied, for example, to a product 13, such as a bottle to be labeled.
[0074] The detection arrangement comprises, in addition to the carrier material 10 with the flat objects 11 mounted thereon and to be detected, a device 100 according to the invention for detecting the flat objects 11. The device 100 has a fork-shaped housing 1 with two fork arms 17, 18 spaced apart from each other by a connecting section 19 and each extending in parallel longitudinal axes, in each of which an ultrasonic transducer 2, 3 is mounted. The ultrasonic transducers 2, 3 are, on the one hand, an ultrasonic transmitting transducer 3 mounted in a first fork arm 17, and on the other hand, an ultrasonic receiving transducer 2 mounted in a second fork arm 18. A measuring section 400 is formed between the ultrasonic transducers 2, 3.
[0075] A slit-shaped gap is formed between the fork arms 17, 18, which forms a detection area 15 in which the carrier material 10 with the flat objects 11 mounted on it is arranged and can be moved through it while being detected by the measuring section 400.
[0076] Preferably, the device 100 operates according to the known transmission principle. The ultrasonic transmitter 3 emits short transmission pulses that excite the carrier material 10 with the flat objects 11 to vibrate. On the opposite side, a highly attenuated ultrasonic wave is emitted and received by the ultrasonic receiver 2. The signal received by the ultrasonic receiver 2 evaluates the signal difference between the signal level of the carrier material 10 alone and the carrier material 10 plus the flat objects 11. An evaluation unit, not shown in detail, located in the housing 1, preferably in the second fork arm 18, sets a switching threshold between these two signal levels. If this switching threshold is undershot, a signal output is activated to indicate that a leading edge of a flat object has been detected. The signal output can be accessed via an electrical signal line.For this purpose, a cable connection 21 is provided on the housing 1, among other things for receiving an electrical signal line and / or power supply line for the ultrasonic transducers 2, 3 and their electronic components housed in the housing 1.
[0077] In the embodiment according to Fig. 1, the conveying direction 200 runs from right to left, and the device 100 is oriented with a defined angle of inclination α opposite to the conveying direction 200; that is, the device 100 is inclined clockwise with respect to an auxiliary plane oriented perpendicular to a surface normal of the carrier material 10 or to the conveying plane. Fig. 2 shows a second alternative embodiment of a detection arrangement according to the invention. In contrast to the first embodiment according to Fig.
[0078] Here, the carrier material 10 can be driven in the opposite conveying direction from left to right, and the device 100 is also inclined opposite to the conveying direction 200, which corresponds to an inclination towards the auxiliary plane oriented perpendicular to the conveying plane with the defined angle of inclination α counterclockwise. Except for the opposite conveying direction and the inclination of the device 100, the components, in particular the carrier material 10 with the flat objects 11 mounted on it and the device 100, are designed analogously.
[0079] Both embodiments share the characteristic that the inclination of the device 100 relative to the conveying direction 200 of the carrier material 10 results in the measuring section 400 also being inclined at the defined angle of inclination α relative to the conveying direction 200. This allows for a higher measuring speed compared to a measuring section 400 oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction or surface normal of the carrier material 10, since the inclined measuring section 400 allows ultrasonic waves (sound reflections 500, represented by arrows) reflected back from the carrier material 10 to the ultrasonic transducers 2, 3 to be guided out of the measuring section 400 more quickly.
[0080] According to the invention, this routing of the sound reflections 500 from the measuring section 400 is further accelerated and improved by embedding the ultrasonic transducers 2, 3 in the fork arms 17, 18 of the housing 1 such that the sound transmission surfaces 8, 9 of the ultrasonic transducers 2, 3 are flush with, i.e., arranged in a common plane with, the surrounding fork arm surfaces 4, 5 of the fork arms 17, 18. The sound transmission surfaces 8, 9 and the surrounding fork arm surfaces 4, 5 thus form a common reflection surface for each fork arm 17, 18, which deflects or reflects the ultrasonic waves reflected back from the carrier material 10 or from the flat objects 11 in a substantially single direction of reflection.
[0081] The fork arm surfaces 4, 5 and the sound transmission surfaces 8, 9 of the opposing fork arms 17, 18 are oriented parallel to each other. Therefore, the fork arm surfaces 4, 5 are inclined, analogous to the sound transmission surfaces 8, 9, at the defined angle of inclination α relative to the conveying direction 200°.
[0082] The flush arrangement of the sound transmission surfaces 8, 9 of the ultrasonic transducers 2, 3 also has the advantage that the sound transmission surfaces 8, 9 are completely exposed and aligned opposite each other. This greatly simplifies accessibility, visual inspection, and cleaning of the sound transmission surfaces 8, 9.
[0083] The combination of the flush arrangement of the sound transmission surfaces 8, 9 on the one hand and the inclination of the measuring section 400 on the other hand, also makes it possible to design the housing 1 of the device, in particular the first fork arm 17 which accommodates the ultrasonic transducer 3, to be compact and especially flat. Advantageously, this allows the device 100 to be positioned particularly close to the dispenser edge 12.
[0084] To enable the device 100 to be used flexibly for opposing conveying directions 200 of the carrier material 10, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it provides a holding adapter 6 which, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, can be slid onto a receiving groove 22 of the housing 1 in two different positions. Figures 3 and 4 show the holding adapter 6 slid onto the housing 1 in a first position. In Figure 5, a directional arrow indicates that the holding adapter 6 can be slid onto the receiving groove 22 of the housing 1 in a second position by rotating it 180°. The holding adapter 6 serves to mount the housing 1 to an external holding element 14 in two different mounting positions with a defined orientation.In both mounting positions, the device is held in a preferred operating position at the defined angle of inclination α relative to the conveying direction or conveying plane. However, in the first mounting position, the inclination is clockwise, and in the second mounting position, it is counterclockwise. The angular difference between the two mounting positions is therefore twice the angle of inclination α, i.e., 2α. In the first mounting position, the retaining adapter 6 is slid onto the receiving groove 22 of the housing 1 in the first sliding position. In the second mounting position, the retainer 6 is slid onto the receiving groove 22 in the second sliding position. Figures 6 and 7 show the retaining adapter 6 in detail views.This component has an essentially parallelogram-shaped outer contour with two mutually parallel contact surfaces 26, 27 and a rectangular recess 23, which is designed for sliding onto the corresponding receiving groove 22 of the housing 1. The contact surfaces 26, 27 are inclined relative to the longitudinal sides of the recess 22 at the defined angle of inclination α, and in each mounting position, one of the contact surfaces 26, 27 is oriented against the external retaining element 14.
[0085] The fastening of the retaining adapter 6 to the housing 1 is carried out as shown in the Fig.
[0086] As shown in Figure 8 and Figure 9, the retaining adapter 6 can be detached by means of two screws 7.1, 7.2, which, when the retaining adapter 6 is slid onto the receiving groove 22 into one of the sliding positions, can be inserted through corresponding adapter through bores 25.1, 25.2 of the retaining adapter 6 and corresponding through bores 24.1, 24.2 of the housing 1 arranged in alignment with it, and can be screwed to the external retaining element 14, for example a metal angle.
[0087] The invention is not limited to the embodiments of the device 1 or detection arrangement shown in figures.
[0088] Identical components and component functions are identified by the same reference numerals.
[0089] marked. Reference list
[0090] 1 case
[0091] 2 ultrasound receiver transducers
[0092] 3 ultrasound transmitters
[0093] 4 first fork arm surface
[0094] 5 second fork arm surface
[0095] 6 mounting adapters
[0096] 7.1 first screw
[0097] 7.2 second screw
[0098] 8 Sound transmission area
[0099] 9 Sound transmission area
[0100] 10 Carrier material
[0101] 11 flat object
[0102] 12 Dispenser edge
[0103] 13 products
[0104] 14 retaining element
[0105] 15 Detection area
[0106] 17 first fork arm
[0107] 18 second fork arm
[0108] 19 Connecting section
[0109] 20 gaps
[0110] 21 Line connection
[0111] 22 recordings
[0112] 23 recess
[0113] 24.1 first through hole
[0114] 24.2 second through hole
[0115] 25.1 First adapter through-hole 25.2 Second adapter through-hole 26 First mounting surface
[0116] 27 second planting area
[0117] 100 Device
[0118] 200 Conveying direction 400 Measuring distance 500 Sound reflection a Inclination angle
Claims
Patent claims 1. Device (100) for detecting flat objects (11) which are received on a carrier material (10) extending longitudinally to a dispenser edge (12) in a conveying plane and movable in a conveying direction (200) running in the conveying plane and separated from one another by a gap (20), wherein the device (100) comprises the following: a fork-shaped housing (1) which has two fork arms (17, 18) connected to each other at a distance from each other via a connecting section (19), wherein a space between the fork arms (17, 18) forms a detection area (15) within which the carrier material (10) with the flat objects (11) placed on it can be moved past in the conveying plane and in the conveying direction (200), an ultrasonic transducer (3) which is accommodated in a first fork arm (17) of the housing (1), an ultrasonic receiver transducer (2) which is accommodated in a second fork arm (18) of the housing (1), wherein the housing (1) is held in a preferred operating position of the device (100) such that the ultrasonic transmit transducer (3) and the ultrasonic receive transducer (2) form a measuring section (400) inclined to the conveying plane of the carrier material (10) at a defined angle of inclination (a), within which the flat objects (11) can be detected and through which the carrier material (10) with the flat objects (11) mounted thereon can be moved in the conveying plane and in the conveying direction (200), characterized in that a sound transmission surface (8) of the ultrasonic transmitting transducer (3) is enclosed flush by a flat first fork arm surface (4) of the first fork arm (17) and a sound transmission surface (9) of the ultrasonic receiving transducer (2) is enclosed flush by a flat second fork arm surface (5) of the second fork arm (18) which is parallel to the first fork arm surface (4), wherein the sound transmission surfaces (8, 9) are each completely exposed and are aligned opposite each other and wherein the measuring section (400) is inclined along or against the conveying direction (200) of the carrier material (10).
2. Device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fork arms (17, 18) of the housing (1) are oriented in longitudinal axes parallel to each other, wherein the fork arm surfaces (4, 5) flush enclosing the sound transmission surfaces (8, 9) are oriented parallel to the longitudinal axes of the fork arms (17, 18).
3. Device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the defined angle of inclination (a) with which the measuring section (400) is inclined relative to the conveying plane and along or against the conveying direction (200) is between 7° and 15°.
4. Device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the defined inclination angle (a) is 11°.
5. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the measuring section (400) is inclined in a particularly preferred operating position of the device (100) against the conveying direction (200).
6. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fork arm surfaces (8, 9) extend longitudinally with a length along longitudinal axes of the fork arms (17, 18) which is at least four times greater than the diameter of the sound transmission surfaces (8, 9) of the ultrasonic transducers (2, 3).
7. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a holding adapter (6) for detachably mounting the housing (1) on an external holding element (14) in a first mounting position and in a second mounting position, wherein in each of the mounting positions the device (100) is held in the preferred position of use, i.e. with the measuring section (400) inclined at the defined angle of inclination (a) to the conveying plane and along or against the conveying direction (200) of the carrier material (10), and wherein in the second mounting position the device (100) is held inclined in a mirror image to the first mounting position with respect to a plane of symmetry oriented perpendicular to the conveying plane and the conveying direction (200) of the carrier material (10).
8. Device (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that the holding adapter (6) has a rectangular recess (23) and two parallel outer contact surfaces (26, 27) for contact with the external holding element (14), wherein the outer contact surfaces (26, 27) are each inclined at the defined angle of inclination (a) to the longitudinal surfaces of the rectangular recess (23) and wherein the housing (1) has a receiving groove (22) in the area of the connecting section (19) shaped corresponding to the rectangular recess (23) of the holding adapter (6), onto which the holding adapter (6) can be slid in a first sliding position and in a second sliding position rotated by 180° to the first sliding position.
9. Device (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that the retaining adapter (6) provides two adapter through-holes (25.1, 25.2) extending through the contact surfaces (26, 27) and the housing (1) provides two through-holes (24.1, 24.2) in the area of the receiving groove (22) arranged in alignment with the adapter through-holes (25.1, 25.2) such that in the sliding positions a screw (7.1, 7.2) for fastening the device (100) to the external retaining element (14) can be passed through the adapter through-holes (25.1, 25.2) and the through-holes (24.1, 24.2).
10. Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that in a particularly preferred position of use of the device (100) the ultrasound receiver transducer (2) is oriented towards a top surface of the carrier material (10) receiving the flat objects (11) and the ultrasound transmitter transducer (3) is oriented towards a bottom surface of the carrier material (10) opposite the top surface.
11. Detection arrangement comprising a device (100) for detecting flat objects (11) and comprising a carrier material (10) extending longitudinally up to a dispenser edge (12) in a conveying plane and movable in a conveying direction (200) running in the conveying plane, on which the flat objects (11) are received separated from one another by a gap (20), wherein the device (100) comprises a fork-shaped housing (1) which has two fork arms (17, 18) connected to each other at a distance from each other via a connecting section (19), wherein the carrier material (10) with the flat objects (11) mounted on it is arranged and moved past within a space left free between the fork arms (17, 18), forming a soft detection area (15), wherein the device (100) comprises an ultrasonic transmit transducer (3) which is received in a first fork arm (17) of the housing (1) and an ultrasonic receive transducer (2) which is received in a second fork arm (18) of the housing (1), wherein the ultrasonic transmit transducer (3) and the ultrasonic receive transducer (2) form a measuring section (400), wherein a sound transmission surface (8) of the ultrasonic transmitting transducer (3) is enclosed flush by a flat first fork arm surface (4) of the first fork arm (17) and a sound transmission surface (9) of the ultrasonic receiving transducer (2) is enclosed flush by a flat second fork arm surface (5) of the second fork arm (18) which is parallel to the first fork arm surface (4), wherein the sound transmission surfaces (8, 9) are each completely exposed and are aligned opposite each other, and 26where the housing (1) is inclined at a defined angle of inclination (a) to the conveying plane and conveying direction (200) of the carrier material (10).
12. Detection arrangement according to claim 11, characterized in that the device (1) is designed according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the device (100) is arranged in a preferred operating position.