COMPONENT FEED DEVICE AND UNIT COMPRISING SUCH A DEVICE

• US 20130233677A1
• Filed: 09/15/2011
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Herve Deflandre
• Original Assignee: Herve Deflandre
• Inventors: Deflandre, Herv
• Granted Patent: US 9,359,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 198/690.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/44 for impelling the loads
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/58 with means for holding or retaining the loads in fixed position, e.g. magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1407 the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1442 by means of movement of the bottom or a part of the wall of the container devices using suction or magnetic forces B65G47/1485
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1471 Movement in one direction, substantially outwards
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1492 the articles being fed from a feeding conveyor

Abstract

The invention provides a component feed device (2) enabling metered delivery of components to a workstation, the device comprising a conveyor belt (6) having an upper strand (7) and a lower strand (8), drive means (9, 10, 13, 14, 16) for driving the conveyor belt (6) in a loop, and holder means configured to contain the components on the upper strand (7) of the conveyor belt (6). The upper strand (7) is configured to form a container, in particular a bowl-shaped container, having an upstream face (11a), a bottom (11b), and a downstream face (11c), said upstream and downstream faces being configured to encourage components to move down under gravity into the bottom. The conveyor belt (6) has an outside face (6a) and an inside face (6b), the outside face having component retaining means (19) configured to retain the components resting on said outside face (6a) at least when they are situated on the downstream face (11c).

Claims

1. A component feed device serving to meter the delivery of components, in particular to a workstation, the device comprising an enclosure, a conveyor belt incorporated in the enclosure, the conveyor belt being mounted in a loop and having an upper strand on which the components rest while being transported and a lower strand for returning empty, a drive device for driving the conveyor belt in a loop, and a holder device configured to contain the components on the upper strand of the conveyor belt, said holder means device being constituted by two vertical plates of the enclosure located beside the sides of the conveyor belt, and wherein the upper strand of the conveyor belt is configured to form a bowl-shaped container having an upstream face, a bottom, and a downstream face, said upstream and downstream faces being configured to encourage components to move down under gravity to the bottom of the container, the conveyor belt having an outside face and an inside face, the outside face having a component retaining device configured to retain the components resting on said outside face at least when they are situated on the downstream face.

2. The component feed device according to claim 1, wherein a downstream drum is arranged to return the conveyor belt at its downstream end, an upstream drum is arranged to return the conveyor belt at its upstream end, and two return rollers are arranged to bear against the inside face of the lower strand of the conveyor belt, the upstream and downstream drums being spaced apart from each other in a configuration that enables the upper strand of the conveyor belt to be kept slack, the two return rollers being arranged lower than the upstream and downstream drums so as to avoid any contact between the upper and lower strands of the conveyor belt.

3. The component feed device according to claim 1, wherein the drive means comprise at least one motor configured to drive at least one of the upstream and downstream drums in rotation.

4. The component feed device according to claim 3, wherein the drive device comprise a motor driving the downstream drum and a transmission system arranged between the motor and the upstream drum.

5. The component feed device according to claim 2, wherein the upstream drum and the downstream drum are arranged at substantially identical heights.

6. The component feed device according to claim 2, wherein two support plates, an upstream support plate and a downstream support plate, are arranged at an angle of inclination under the upper strand of the conveyor belt, respectively in the regions of the upstream and downstream faces, and by bearing against the inside face of said upper strand of the conveyor belt, said upstream and downstream support plates form a V-shape between each other.

7. The component feed device according to claim 6, wherein adjustment means are configured to modify the angle of inclination of the upstream and downstream support plates.

8. The component feed device according to claim 1, wherein a central support plate is arranged under the upper strand of the conveyor belt in the region of the bottom of the container and bears against the inside face of said upper strand of the conveyor belt, said central support plate being configured to support the bottom of the container and avoid any contact with the lower strand of the conveyor belt.

9. The component feed device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining device is constituted by slats arranged transversely on the outside face of the conveyor belt with gaps between them.

10. The component feed device according to claim 9, wherein the slats are spaced apart at a distance lying in the range 30 cm to 70 cm.

11. An installation comprising a plurality of components presenting a component thickness and the component feed device according to claim 9, wherein the slats present a height that is substantially equal to the component thickness.

12. An installation for packaging liquids in bottles that are closed by means of stoppers, said installation comprising at least one component feed device according to claim 1.

13. The installation according to claim 12, having a removal conveyor arranged below the downstream end of the conveyor belt, said removal conveyor feeding a workstation for stopping bottles.

14. A method for filling a container using the feed device according to claim 1, comprising pouring components into the enclosure in such a manner as to fill the bowl-shaped container completely before putting said device into operation.

15. The method according to claim 2, wherein the components are poured into the enclosure in such a manner as to fill the bowl-shaped container, the components being poured to a depth corresponding to the height of the downstream cylinder.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the components are stoppers for bottles.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the components are stoppers for bottles.

19. The installation according to claim 17, wherein a downstream drum is arranged to return the conveyor belt at its downstream end, an upstream drum is arranged to return the conveyor belt at its upstream end, and two return rollers are arranged to bear against the inside face of the lower strand of the conveyor belt, the upstream and downstream drums being spaced apart from each other in a configuration that enables the upper strand of the conveyor belt to be kept slack, the two return rollers being arranged lower than the upstream and downstream drums so as to avoid any contact between the upper and lower strands of the conveyor belt.

18. An installation comprising a plurality of components having a component thickness, and a component feed device serving to meter the delivery of components, in particular to a workstation, the device comprising an enclosure, a conveyor belt incorporated in the enclosure, the conveyor belt being mounted in a loop and having an upper strand on which the components rest while being transported and a lower strand for returning empty, drive means for driving the conveyor belt in a loop, and a holder device configured to contain the components on the upper strand of the conveyor belt, said holder device being constituted by two vertical plates of the enclosure located beside the sides of the conveyor belt, and wherein the upper strand of the conveyor belt is configured to form a bowl-shaped container having an upstream face, a bottom, and a downstream face, said upstream and downstream faces being configured to encourage components to move down under gravity to the bottom of the container, the conveyor belt having an outside face and an inside face, the outside face having a component retaining device configured to retain the components resting on said outside face at least when they are situated on the downstream face, wherein the retaining device is constituted by slats arranged transversely on the outside face of the conveyor belt with gaps between them, and wherein the slats present a height which is substantially equal to the component thickness.

20. The installation according to claim 18, wherein the upstream drum and the downstream drum are arranged at substantially identical heights.

21. The installation according to claim 18, wherein two support plates, an upstream support plate and a downstream support plate, are arranged at an angle of inclination under the upper strand of the conveyor belt, respectively in the regions of the upstream and downstream faces, and by bearing against the inside face of said upper strand of the conveyor belt, said upstream and downstream support plates form a V-shape between each other.

22. The installation according to claim 18, wherein adjustment device is configured to modify the angle of inclination of the upstream and downstream support plates.

23. The installation according to claim 18, wherein a central support plate is arranged under the upper strand of the conveyor belt in the region of the bottom of the container and bears against the inside face of said upper strand of the conveyor belt, said central support plate being configured to support the bottom of the container and avoid any contact with the lower strand of the conveyor belt.