System for the automatic loading and/or unloading of products

• US 6,357,985 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1999
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lanfranco Anzani, Onorio Anzani
• Original Assignee: Lanfranco Anzani, Onorio Anzani
• Inventors: Anzani, Lanfranco, Anzani, Onorio
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Application Number:
  US09/456,691
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 414/280, 414/276, 414/269, 414/270, 414/331.01, 414/278, 414/331.03, 414/331.04, 414/331.05, 414/331.08, 414/331.14, 414/331.16, 414/271, 414/331.FOR, 211/1.51, 211/1.52, 211/1.55, 198/435, 198/523, 198/528, 198/530, 198/463.3, 198/346.2, 193/35.R, 193/35.A, 193/37
• US Class Current: 414/331.05
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/08 the articles being fed by gravity braking arrangements for roller-ways B65G13/075; separating or stopping elements B65G47/88

Abstract

A system for the automatic loading and/or unloading of products comprises a store (13, 19) with shelves inclined and provided with a mobile transversal blocking means (9, 12), and at least one traveling lift (3) provided with mobile bearing tops (4), also inclined and provided with at least one mobile transversal blocking means (9, 12). Said inclined shelves and bearing tops (4) are provided with transversal, parallel, idle and inclined rollers (5) whereon a product or a product container (1) can slide by gravity when the blocking means is lowered.

Claims

1. A system for the automatic loading/unloading of products, comprising:

a) a store (19′

) for the products comprising a plurality of housings (23′

) each formed by a shelf (20,20′

) adapted to house or store a product thereon, the shelves of said housings being aligned and arranged on a platform (29) in the form of a carousel including means for rotating said platform (29) about a vertical axis;

b) an unloading station (32) comprising a fixed traveling lift (31) in the form of a roller conveyor for moving a product by means of gravity from a housing (23′

) to be unloaded, and an inclined top (33) consisting of an inclined roller conveyor connecting the shelf (20,20′

) of the housing (23′

) to be unloaded to the traveling lift (31);

c) a loading station (34) comprising a conveyor belt (30) with driving means for lifting a product to a housing (23′

) to be loaded, an inclined top (35) consisting of an inclined roller conveyor connecting the shelf (20,20′

) of the housing (23′

) to be loaded to the conveyor belt (30), and a collection conveyor (18) associated with conveyor belt (30) at the loading station (34) for directing the product to be loaded from the belt (30) onto the inclined top (35) to be transported by means of gravity onto the shelf (20,21′

) of the housing (23′

) to be loaded; and

d) pushing means (50) arranged adjacent the housing (23′

) to be unloaded on a side thereof opposite traveling lift (31) for pushing a product in the housing (23′

) to be unloaded onto the inclined roller conveyor of the inclined top (33) to be transported by means of gravity to traveling lift (31).

2. The system for the automatic loading/unloading of products as defined in claim 1, wherein each shelf (20, 20′

) comprises a plurality of rollers arranged parallel to each other and transverse to the direction of movement of the product thereon.

3. The system for the automatic loading/unloading of products as defined in claim 1, wherein the inclined top (33) and the inclined top (35) comprise a plurality of rollers arranged parallel to each other and transverse to a direction of movement of the product thereon.

4. The system for the automatic loading/unloading of products as defined in claim 1, wherein each shelf (20, 20′

) of the plurality of housings (23′

) is inclined away from the unloading station (32) and the loading station (34) and the pushing means (50) is aligned according to an inclination of said shelves (20,20′

).

5. The system for the automatic loading/unloading of products as defined in claim 1, which further comprises a work station (17) having an arrival emplacement (36) communicating with the fixed traveling lift (31) of said unloading station (32) by means of a first conveyor (16), and a leaving emplacement (37) communicating with the conveyor belt (30) of said loading station (34) by means of a second conveyor (2), wherein said arrival emplacement (36) includes an inclined table (38) having rollers (45) disposed substantially parallel to a direction of movement of said first conveyor (16) for receiving product therefrom and said leaving emplacement (37) includes a first inclined table (39) and a second oppositely inclined table (40) having rollers disposed substantially parallel to a direction of movement of said second conveyor (2) for delivering product to said second conveyor (2).

6. The system for the automatic loading/unloading of products as defined in claim 5, wherein said arrival emplacement (36) is fixed and aligned with said first conveyor (16), and said leaving emplacement (37) is movable between positions adjacent said arrival emplacement (36) and said second conveyor (2).

7. The system for the automatic loading/unloading of products as defined in claim 6, which further comprises a mechanical control system for controlling and coordinating rotation of said store (19′

), positioning of the housing (23′

) to be loaded, movement of the pushing means (50) for pushing a product in the housing (23′

) to be unloaded onto the unloading station, the arrival emplacement (36) of work station (17) and the leaving emplacement (37) of work station (17).

8. The system for the automatic loading/unloading of products as defined in claim 6, which further comprises an electronic control system for controlling and coordinating rotation of said store (19′

), positioning of the housing (23′

) to be unloaded, movement of the pushing means (50) for pushing a product in the housing (23′

) to be unloaded onto the unloading station, the arrival emplacement (36) of work station (17), and the leaving emplacement (37) of work station (17).

9. The system for the automatic loading/unloading of products as defined in claim 1, wherein there is provided a plurality of superposed platforms (29) on each of which is aligned and arranged said plurality of housings (23′

).

10. The system for the automatic loading/unloading of products as defined in claim 9, wherein the superposed platforms (29) are adapted to rotate synchronously.

11. The system for the automatic loading/unloading of products as defined in claim 9, wherein the superposed platforms (29) are adapted to rotate independently to each other.