Apparatus for forming groups of articles, particularly for automatic packaging lines
First Claim
1. Apparatus for supplying a station, from a substantially but not necessarily continuous flow of articles, with groups of a predetermined number of said articles which, for a predetermined period of time, are substantially stationary in correspondence with said station, said apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor line for said articles, which extends in correspondence with said station and has respective positions for receiving said articles;
drive means associated with said conveyor line which can cause its intermittent movement with a condition in which said conveyor line is substantially stationary for said predetermined period and a condition of movement in which said conveyor line is advanced by a number of said receiving positions equal to said number of articles in said groups,a conveyor for batched supply of said predetermined number of articles to said conveyor line, the conveyor being adapted for intermittent motion which copies the intermittent motion of said conveyor line,means for linking the movement of said conveyor to that of said conveyor line so as to regulate the supply to articles to the receiving positions of the conveyor line itself, anda unit for accumulating said articles located upstream of said conveyor for generating, from said flow of articles, an accumulation of articles which are supplied continuously to said conveyor,wherein said conveyor line includes a first plurality of separate conveying elements arranged parallel to each other so as to define separating spaced between them and a spacer conveyor which is provided immediately upstream of said first plurality of separate conveying elements and is constituted by a second plurality of separate conveying elements arranged parallel to each other and extending, at least marginally, into said separating spaces.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A line for the positive conveyance of packaged articles (for example food products) extends in correspondence with a removal station at which groups of a predetermined number of the articles must be brought to a substantially stationary condition for a predetermined time interval. The duration of this interval is such as to enable the operation of a removal unit, such as a manipulator, a robot, etc. The conveyor line operated intermittently with a condition in which it is substantially stationary during the removal period and a condition of movement in which the line advances by a number of positions equal to the number of articles in each group. The articles, which are supplied in a substantially but not necessarily continuous flow, are accumulated, using a spacer conveyor upstream of the batching conveyor which supplies the conveyor line. The conveyors in question also move intermittently in synchronism with the movement of the conveyor line. The articles are accumulated upstream of the batching conveyor using a further conveyor which is in continuous motion and on which the articles are transported with the ability to slide.
44 Citations
18 Claims
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1. Apparatus for supplying a station, from a substantially but not necessarily continuous flow of articles, with groups of a predetermined number of said articles which, for a predetermined period of time, are substantially stationary in correspondence with said station, said apparatus comprising:
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a conveyor line for said articles, which extends in correspondence with said station and has respective positions for receiving said articles; drive means associated with said conveyor line which can cause its intermittent movement with a condition in which said conveyor line is substantially stationary for said predetermined period and a condition of movement in which said conveyor line is advanced by a number of said receiving positions equal to said number of articles in said groups, a conveyor for batched supply of said predetermined number of articles to said conveyor line, the conveyor being adapted for intermittent motion which copies the intermittent motion of said conveyor line, means for linking the movement of said conveyor to that of said conveyor line so as to regulate the supply to articles to the receiving positions of the conveyor line itself, and a unit for accumulating said articles located upstream of said conveyor for generating, from said flow of articles, an accumulation of articles which are supplied continuously to said conveyor, wherein said conveyor line includes a first plurality of separate conveying elements arranged parallel to each other so as to define separating spaced between them and a spacer conveyor which is provided immediately upstream of said first plurality of separate conveying elements and is constituted by a second plurality of separate conveying elements arranged parallel to each other and extending, at least marginally, into said separating spaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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- 6. Apparatus according to claim , wherein said spacer conveyor is movable with an intermittent movement which copies the movement of said first plurality of separate conveying elements of said conveyor line with an average speed which is faster than the average speed of said conveyor for the batched supply of said articles, so as to separate the articles which are advancing to said conveyor line.
Specification