EP0702644B1 - Method and device for placing products, such as fragile food products, in cavities - Google Patents

Method and device for placing products, such as fragile food products, in cavities Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0702644B1
EP0702644B1 EP94920948A EP94920948A EP0702644B1 EP 0702644 B1 EP0702644 B1 EP 0702644B1 EP 94920948 A EP94920948 A EP 94920948A EP 94920948 A EP94920948 A EP 94920948A EP 0702644 B1 EP0702644 B1 EP 0702644B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
products
placing
elements
holders
placing elements
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP94920948A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0702644A1 (en
Inventor
Alphons Maria Van Heugten
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Hartman & Visser Holding Bv
van Heugten Alphons Maria
Original Assignee
Hartman & Visser Holding Bv
Hartman & Visser Holding Bv
VAN HEUGTEN Alphons Maria
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hartman & Visser Holding Bv, Hartman & Visser Holding Bv, VAN HEUGTEN Alphons Maria filed Critical Hartman & Visser Holding Bv
Publication of EP0702644A1 publication Critical patent/EP0702644A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0702644B1 publication Critical patent/EP0702644B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B35/00—Supplying, feeding, arranging or orientating articles to be packaged
    • B65B35/30—Arranging and feeding articles in groups
    • B65B35/40—Arranging and feeding articles in groups by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
    • B65B5/08—Packaging groups of articles, the articles being individually gripped or guided for transfer to the containers or receptacles

Definitions

  • a further apparatus for automatically packaging pasta is known from the DE-A-2119962.
  • the present invention provides according to claim 1 a method for placing products, such as fragile food products, in to one or more holders, comprising the following steps:
  • products especially fragile food products, can be aligned, positioned and placed in holders substantially without damaging the products.
  • An apparatus 1 (fig. 1) is set up near to the end of a conveyor T whereupon fragile food products are found, in the present example of the embodiment filled cakes C, which are transported directly form an oven not shown at a constant speed.
  • the apparatus 1 comprises a frame 2 for guiding placing and catching elements 3, 4 respectively which are moveable to and fro, according to the double arrow A, within the frame 2. With help of a rod 5, and schematically shown driving means 6, the placing elements 3, 4 are also moveable in an upward and downward direction according to the double arrow B.
  • the placing elements 3, 4 which in the present embodiment take the form of comb-like elements, two rows of filled cakes C ar pushed over a table part 7 into holders 10, which are placed at a short distance under an edge 8 of the table part 7.
  • the two rows of filled cakes C are, in this manner, dropped above each other into the holders 10.
  • the holders 10 are, with the help of the conveyors 11, 12 and 13 respectively, brought to and taken away from the table part 7, as well as preferably being automatically placed with the help of schematically shown pushing means (double arrow D) 14, so that four filled cakes are placed in each holder 10 in the present embodiment.
  • placing elements 3, 4, which are driven by schematically shown driving means 9, are placed above the holders 10, these placing elements 3, 4 are moved upwards and subsequently back to above the conveyor T which in the meantime advances with a constant relatively low speed, so that two rows of filled cakes C can again be placed in the relevant holders 10.
  • a second preferred embodiment of the apparatus 19 (fig. 2) according to the present invention, particularly suitable for packing chocolate tea cakes also known as chocolate munch mallows N which are moved in the direction of the arrow E on the conveyor T', the chocolate munch mallows or other fragile products require to be accurately placed with respect to the pre-formed holders 30, because each chocolate munch mallow N has to drop, under its own weight, in the correct opening without these being pushed against each other.
  • four rows of six chocolate munch mallows are accurately positioned, due to the fact that placing elements 22, 23, 24 and 25 are displaceable with regard to the position, shown by the broken lines, to the position shown by the unbroken lines.
  • An upper frame part 20 is preferably vertically displaceable in lower frame parts 21, as shown by arrow G, so that the placing elements 22, 23, 24 and 25 may be displaced without damaging the chocolate munch mallows.
  • the placing elements 22-25 preferably have comb-like parts which grip around the chocolate munch mallows.
  • the twenty-four chocolate munch mallows are brought above a table part 26, in accurate mutual positions, whereafter the table part 26 is moved from underneath them (arrow F) whereby the chocolate munch mallows drop, under their own weight, into the pre-formed holders 30.
  • the placing elements 22 to 25, are moved upwards as well as back, to the starting position to above the end of the conveyor 2', after a holder 30 has been filled with chocolate munch mallows, so that twenty-four chocolate munch mallows can once more be placed in a holder 30.
  • a third embodiment of the apparatus 31 (figure 3) according to the present invention, is also particularly suitable for packing chocolate munch mallows or other such fragile food products.
  • This apparatus 31 is set up near the end of a conveyor T'' whereupon the chocolate munch mallows N are transported.
  • the apparatus 31 preferably comprises a frame 32 for a placing member 33, which preferably comprises four suspending elements 34, from which a number of catching elements, preferably in the form of fingers 35, are suspended.
  • the suspending elements 34 are preferably linked together by two harmonica-like linking elements 36.
  • the frame 32 preferably is rotated by a bar 37, to tilt upwards and downwards, which is driven by an, in preference, electric motor 39.
  • Two preferably passive pistons 38 are employed in order to offer increased stability to the frame 32, when the latter is tilted up and down.
  • the frame 32 is in a raised state, and the linking elements 36 are in an extended, open position, as shown by the broken lines.
  • the frame 32 is tilted downwards so that the fingers 35 are situated between the rows of munch mallows N.
  • the linking elements 36 are then closed, causing the fingers 35 to align the munch mallows N in a ready to be packed state.
  • Two runners 40 are preferably employed to open and close the harmonica-like linking elements 36. These runners 40 are connected to the linking elements 36 preferably by screws (not shown) and are powered to run along the frame 32 by an, in preference, electric motor (also not shown).
  • the fingers 35 On lowering the placing member 33 with the linking elements 36 open, the fingers 35 come between the rows of munch mallows N. Therefore it is not neccesary for these to be exactly positioned on the conveyor T'' as closing the linking elements 36 causes the fingers 35 to move towards each other, an action which catches stray, irregularly positioned munch mallows N to align these together with the other munch mallows N.
  • the placing member 33 is then moved along the frame 32, preferably via a hydraulic piston 41, which is preferably stabilised by a bar, so that the placing member 33 comes to stop above a table part 42.
  • the table part 42 is preferably moveable along the frame 32, via a slider 43 which is preferably powered by an electric motor 44, the movement of the slider 43 and the table part 42 being shown by the double headed arrow K.
  • the table part 42 is situated above a conveyor 45, preferably powered by an electric motor 46, on which holders 47, for the munch mallows N are supplied.
  • Directing elements which in the present embodiment preferably take the form of two walls 48 and 49 respectively, direct the holders 47 to a precise position beneath the table part 42. These holders 47 are preferably held here by preferably retractable stops 50, whilst the holders 47 are filled with the munch mallows N.
  • the table part 42 is then preferably rapidly moved from beneath the munch mallows N in the direction of the bar 37, so that the munch mallows N fall into the holders 47.
  • the stops 50 are then retracted to allow removal of a filled holder and positioning of the next empty holder.
  • the frame part 32 is subsequently raised, the placing member 33 brought into position and the table part 42 returned to above the conveyor 45 so that the next batch of chocolate munch mallows can be packed.
  • this embodiment can stack products on top of each other by a double movement of the table part 42, the first movement dropping a food product into a holder whilst simultaneously causing a second product to move to the edge of the table part 42, the second movement of the table part 42 causing the second food product to drop into the holder on top of the first product.
  • Preferably holders are used with the apparatus according to figures 1, 2 and 3, which are fixed together in a suitable number. For instance in figure 1 five packings for every four filled cakes, the packings being easily separated from each other by a few hand movements and, with the embodiment according to figure 2, two packings for every twelve chocolate munch mallows in three rows of four.
  • the above described apparatus can, in a simple manner, be fitted into an existing transport system wherein food products are transported at a constant speed out of an oven.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Confectionery (AREA)
  • Container Filling Or Packaging Operations (AREA)
  • Attitude Control For Articles On Conveyors (AREA)
  • Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
  • Feeding Of Articles To Conveyors (AREA)
  • Stacking Of Articles And Auxiliary Devices (AREA)
EP94920948A 1993-06-16 1994-06-16 Method and device for placing products, such as fragile food products, in cavities Expired - Lifetime EP0702644B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL9301051 1993-06-16
NL9301051A NL9301051A (nl) 1993-06-16 1993-06-16 Werkwijze en inrichting voor het in houders plaatsen van produkten, zoals kwetsbare voedingsprodukten, en daarvoor geschikte houders.
PCT/EP1994/001974 WO1994029174A1 (en) 1993-06-16 1994-06-16 Method and device for placing products, such as fragile food products, in cavities, and suitable cavities therefor

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0702644A1 EP0702644A1 (en) 1996-03-27
EP0702644B1 true EP0702644B1 (en) 1997-12-10

Family

ID=19862551

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94920948A Expired - Lifetime EP0702644B1 (en) 1993-06-16 1994-06-16 Method and device for placing products, such as fragile food products, in cavities

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0702644B1 (da)
AU (1) AU7185794A (da)
DE (1) DE69407289T2 (da)
DK (1) DK0702644T3 (da)
ES (1) ES2110249T3 (da)
NL (1) NL9301051A (da)
WO (1) WO1994029174A1 (da)

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2119962A1 (de) * 1971-04-23 1972-10-26 Bardet-Neyrin, Rene, Saint-Didierau-Mont-dor, Rhone (Frankreich) Vorrichtung zum Verpacken von Teigwaren in Nestform
US4525985A (en) * 1983-03-29 1985-07-02 Bo Sammens Apparatus for automatically packaging articles

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1994029174A1 (en) 1994-12-22
NL9301051A (nl) 1995-01-16
ES2110249T3 (es) 1998-02-01
EP0702644A1 (en) 1996-03-27
DK0702644T3 (da) 1998-08-10
DE69407289D1 (de) 1998-01-22
DE69407289T2 (de) 1998-04-02
AU7185794A (en) 1995-01-03

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