Automated system and a method for the delivery and distribution of articles in groups and a device and a method for grouping articles together

• US 20050188652A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swisslog Italia SPA (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Swisslog Italia SPA (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Davolio, Maurizio, Gambarelli, Franco
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/393
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 15/00 Attaching articles to cards, sheets, strings, webs, or other carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1373 for fulfilling orders in warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus

Abstract

An automatic system for the delivery and distribution of articles in groups comprises a store of articles, means for the collection and delivery of articles from the store and control means associated with the collection and delivery means in order to control the selective collection of articles from the store and their output as sets of articles logically grouped together. The system further comprises a grouping device which receives the sets of articles logically grouped together as inputs and outputs corresponding packs, groups or bundles of articles physically connected to one another by restraining means.

Claims

1. A grouping device for grouping together articles provided with holes or openings, characterized in that it comprises:

a load-bearing structure (12),

means (50) for supporting the articles,

a feed unit (24) for supplying the restraining means (18),

guide means (46) for guiding the restraining means through the holes or openings in the articles, and

joining means (76) for joining the restraining means (18) together in a closed-loop configuration grouping the articles together.

2. A grouping device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide means (46) comprise at least two guide portions (50, 52) movable relative to one another, at least a first portion (50) of the two guide portions (50, 52) comprising the means for supporting the articles.

3. A grouping device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second portion (52) of the two guide portions (50, 52) comprises a shaped portion (62) which cooperates selectively with retaining means (88) in order to clamp a portion of the restraining means (18).

4. A grouping device according to claim 1, characterized in that the feed unit (24) for the restraining means (18) comprises feed means which can be operated selectively in a direct-feed mode in order to urge the restraining means (18) through the guide means (46), and in a reverse-feed mode, in order to return the restraining means (18) in the opposite direction.

5. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the restraining means (18) comprise a thread of material that can be welded, the guide means comprising a portion in which the restraining means (18) intersect and are superimposed, the joining means (76) being disposed in the region of the intersection portion and comprising a welding rod which can be moved selectively towards the restraining means (18) in order to weld them in a closed-loop configuration.

6. A method of grouping articles together by means of a device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:

operating the feed unit (24) in order to guide the restraining means (18) along the guide means (46) and through openings formed in the articles until a configuration is reached in which the restraining means (18) are at least partially superimposed and define a closed loop, and

operating the joining means (76) in order to join together the superimposed portions of the restraining means (18) in a closed-loop configuration, grouping the articles together.

7. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of:

at least partially restraining the restraining means (18), by means of the cooperation of at least one movable guide portion (52) and retaining means (88), when the supply unit (24) is operated in a reverse-feed mode,

operating the supply unit (24) in a reverse-feed mode in order to return the restraining means (18) until the dimensions of the substantially closed path reach a predetermined dimension,

operating means (76) for joining and severing the restraining means (18) in order to join the restraining means (18) together to form the closed loop and to separate the portion of the restraining means (18) which constitutes the closed loop from a remaining portion of the restraining means (81),

extracting the articles grouped together (7a, 7b, 7c) from the device (10).

8. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the device (10) is inclined selectively at the beginning of the grouping operations in order for the support means of the device to receive the articles (6a, 6b, 6c) logically grouped together, and is selectively inclined in the opposite direction upon completion of the grouping operations in order to release and deliver the pack, group or bundle (7a, 7b, 7c) of articles grouped together by the restraining means (18), by gravity.

9. An automated system for the delivery and distribution of articles in groups, comprising:

a store (2) of articles (1),

means (3) for the collection and delivery of articles from the store (2), and

control means (5) associated with the collection and delivery means (3) for controlling the selective collection of articles (1) from the store (2) and their output as sets (6a, 6b, 6c) of articles logically grouped together, characterized in that it also comprises a grouping device (10) which receives at its input the sets (6a, 6b, 6c) of articles logically grouped together and outputs corresponding packs, groups or bundles (7a, 7b, 7c) of articles physically connected to one another by restraining means (8).

10. An automated system according to claim 9, characterized in that the control means (5) comprises electronic processor means, the articles (1) being grouped together logically in the sets (6a, 6b, 6c) and physically connected in the corresponding packs, groups or bundles (7a, 7b, 7c) in accordance with corresponding orders or instructions (G1, G2, G3) entered and/or stored in the electronic processor means (5).

11. An automated system according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises means for generating labels (9) identifying the orders or instructions (G1, G2, G3), the grouping device (10) associating the labels (9) with each corresponding group of articles (7a, 7b, 7c).

12. An automated system according to claim 9, characterized in that the restraining means (8) comprise an elongate member (18, 108, 111, 114).

13. An automated system according to claim 12, characterized in that the elongate member (18, 111, 114) can be closed into a loop (116) in order to group together articles provided with holes or openings (113, 118).

14. A method for the delivery and distribution of articles in groups, comprising the steps of:

identifying articles (1) which are to fulfil at least one order or instruction (G1, G2, G3),

collecting the articles identified from a store (2), and

delivering the articles collected, logically grouped together in at least one set (6a, 6b, 6c) corresponding to the at least one order or instruction (G1, G2, G3), characterized in that it further comprises the steps of;

collecting the articles delivered and logically grouped together in the at least one set (6a, 6b, 6c),

connecting each article (1) of the set to a restraining means (8) in order to form at least one pack, group or bundle (7a, 7b, 7c) of articles corresponding to the at least one set (6a, 6b, 6c) and to the at least one order or instruction (G1, G2, G3), and

delivering the at least one pack, group or bundle (7a, 7b, 7c) of articles, grouped together.

15. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that it further comprises the step of associating at least one informative label (9) with the at least one pack, group or bundle (7a, 7b, 7c) of articles grouped together.

16. A method according to claim 15, characterized in that the informative label (9) is restrained on the restraining means (8) defining the at least one pack, group or bundle (7a, 7b, 7c) of articles grouped together.