Object distribution device, packaging device and object distribution process

• US 7,451,584 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DS Technology GmbH
• Original Assignee: Grunenthal GMBH (Grünenthal Pharma GmbH & Co. KG), Harro Hfliger Verpackungsmaschinen Gmbh
• Inventors: Schateikis, Dieter, Reiser, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): DESAI, HEMANT
• Application Number:
  US11/851,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20080060322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 534/43, 534/48, 531/47, 531/49, 531/50, 535/43
• US Class Current: 53/443
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/71 the articles being discharged or distributed to several distinct separate conveyors or to a broader conveyor lane

Abstract

A distributing device and a method for distributing objects from a supplying device. Said distributing device being configured to deliver the objects during a delivery clock pulse in groups of m objects, to a first receiving device and to a second receiving device, said receiving devices jointly receiving the group of m objects during a reception clock pulse, and the m objects of a group being variably divided, between different reception clock pulses, into a first number m₁ of objects delivered to the first receiving device and a second number m₂ of objects delivered to the second receiving device.

Claims

1. A distributing device for distributing objects comprising:

a supplying device configured to deliver the objects in groups of m objects during a delivery clock pulse to a first receiving device and to a second receiving device;

a first receiving device and a second receiving device, wherein said first receiving device and second receiving device are configured to jointly receive the group of m objects during a reception clock pulse, and

said distributing device is configured such that, between different reception clock pulses, the m objects in said group are divided into a first number m₁ of objects delivered to said first receiving device and a second number m₂ of objects delivered to the second receiving device.

2. The distributing device according to claim 1, wherein each of said first receiving device and second receiving device is configured to form packets of p objects during one reception cycle consisting of N reception clock pulses in each case, the number of packets formed being equal to the product of the number of said receiving devices and the number m of objects in a group.

3. The distributing device according to claim 2, wherein said device is configured so that the number N of reception clock pulses of a reception cycle is equal to the product of the number of said receiving devices and the number p of objects in a packet.

4. The distributing device according to claim 1, wherein said device is configured so that during one reception clock pulse, the first number m₁ of objects delivered to said first receiving device and the second number m₂ of objects delivered to said second receiving device differ by not more than three.

5. The distributing device according to claim 1, wherein said device is configured so that during one reception clock pulse, the first number m₁ of objects delivered to said first receiving device and the second number m₂ of objects delivered to said second receiving device differ by not more than one.

6. The distributing device according to claim 1, further comprising a transfer device configured to move both in a conveying direction of said supplying device toward said first receiving device and second receiving device and in a distributing direction of distribution which is substantially perpindicular to said conveying direction.

7. The distributing device according to claim 2, wherein said number p of objects in a packet is equal to a number ranging from five to fifty.

8. The distributing device according to claim 2, wherein said number p of objects in a packet is equal to twelve, fourteen, sixteen or eighteen.

9. The distributing device according to claim 1, wherein said number m of said objects in a group is equal to a number ranging from two to twenty.

10. The distributing device according to claim 1, wherein said number m of said objects in a group is equal to five, six, eight or ten.

11. A packaging device for producing packages of objects using a distributing device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the number p of objects in a packet is equal to the number of objects in a package of objects.

12. A method for distributing objects comprising the steps of:

distributing objects from a supplying device delivering the objects in groups of m objects during a delivery clock pulse to a first receiving device and to a second receiving device, wherein said first receiving device and second receiving device jointly receive the group of m objects during a reception clock pulse, and

dividing the m objects in said group into a first number m₁ of objects delivered to said first receiving device and a second number m₂ of objects delivered to the second receiving device between different reception clock pulses.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein during one reception cycle consisting of N reception clock pulses packets containing p objects are formed, the number of packets formed being equal to the product of the number of receiving devices and the number m of objects in a group.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the number N of reception clock pulses in a reception cycle is equal to the product of the number of receiving devices and the number p of objects in a packet.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein during one and the same reception clock pulse, the first number m₁ of objects delivered to said first receiving device and the second number m₂ of objects delivered to said second receiving device differ by not more than three.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein during one and the same reception clock pulse, the first number m₁ of objects delivered to said first receiving device and the second number m₂ of objects delivered to said second receiving device differ by not more than one.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein said number p of said objects in a packet is equal to a number ranging from five to fifty.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein said number p of said objects in a packet is equal to twelve, fourteen, sixteen or eighteen.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein said number m of said objects in a group is equal to a number ranging from two to twenty.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein said number m of said objects in a group is equal to five, six, eight or ten.