Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
  • B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
  • B25J9/00—Program-controlled manipulators
  • B25J9/0093—Program-controlled manipulators co-operating with conveyor means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
  • B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
  • B25J9/00—Program-controlled manipulators
  • B25J9/16—Program controls
  • B25J9/1694—Program controls characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
  • B25J9/1697—Vision controlled systems
• • 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
  • B65B35/10—Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles
  • B65B35/16—Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles by grippers
  • B65B35/18—Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles by grippers by suction-operated grippers
• • 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
  • B65B35/56—Orientating, i.e. changing the attitude of, articles, e.g. of non-uniform cross-section
  • B65B35/58—Turning articles by positively-acting means, e.g. to present labelled portions in uppermost position
• • 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
  • B65B5/10—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles
  • B65B5/12—Introducing successive articles, e.g. confectionery products, of different shape or size in predetermined positions
• • 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
  • B65B57/00—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices
  • B65B57/02—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages
  • B65B57/06—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged
• • 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
  • B65B57/00—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices
  • B65B57/10—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged
  • B65B57/12—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged and operating to control, or stop, the feed of wrapping materials, containers, or packages
• • 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
  • B65B65/00—Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided for; Arrangements of such details
  • B65B65/003—Packaging lines, e.g. general layout
• • 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
  • B65B2220/00—Specific aspects of the packaging operation
  • B65B2220/14—Adding more than one type of material or article to the same package
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
  • G05B2219/37—Measurements
  • G05B2219/37563—Ccd, tv camera
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
  • G05B2219/39—Robotics, robotics to robotics hand
  • G05B2219/39473—Autonomous grasping, find, approach, grasp object, sensory motor coordination
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
  • G05B2219/40—Robotics, robotics mapping to robotics vision
  • G05B2219/40007—Optimize sequence of pick and place operations upon arrival of workpiece on conveyor
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
  • G05B2219/40—Robotics, robotics mapping to robotics vision
  • G05B2219/40554—Object recognition to track object on conveyor
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
  • G05B2219/45—Nc applications
  • G05B2219/45063—Pick and place manipulator

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the technical field of high-speed automatic packaging of products in flat planar supports.
• flat honeycomb supports is intended to mean, for example, supports of the tray type, comprising a plurality of cells for receiving products.
• the cells are in particular in the form of shape impressions complementary to the products to be packaged, and are formed in the flat supports.
• a planar support may comprise a plurality of cells of the same shape, each intended to receive the same product, or else series of different cells, each of the series being intended to receive a series of products of different shapes.
• the present invention relates to a method and an installation for packaging individual products consisting in automatically taking, one by one, the products to be packaged, and depositing them in the corresponding cell with industrial rates.
• the invention finds an advantageous application, for example, in the field of packaging chocolates or biscuits.
• the cells are in the form of fingerprints complementary to the products, and are formed on a flat support.
• the products to be deposited are conveyed, in an irregular manner and with random orientations, to the field of action of a poly-articulated handling system.
• poly-articulated system is meant a robot at least four axes programmed, well known from the state of the art.
• the plane support is, in turn, conveyed to the field of action of the poly-articulated system with a predefined orientation.
• the plane support is in particular indexed mechanically in orientation with respect to the conveying means used.
• the method further comprises the steps of locating the first individual product, in position and orientation, and grasping it through the poly-articulated system.
• the method then comprises the steps of locating, in position, a planar honeycomb support, and depositing the first product seized in a cell of the planar support.
• the flat support is mechanically indexed in orientation, for example by guides, so that the removal of the product does not cause any shift of the plane support.
• the position of the next cell is thus already parameterized and known.
• the method comprises the steps of locating said second individual product, in position and orientation, and grasping it through the poly-articulated system.
• the second product is deposited in the next cell whose position is already known because the flat support is indexed in orientation relative to the conveying means.
• This method makes it possible to rapidly and efficiently deposit, in previously known flat support cells, a plurality of individual products routed in an irregular manner and with random orientations, towards the field of action of a poly-articulated handling system. .
• the new flat supports when they are put in place, the new flat supports must be indexed in orientation, and these are generally not compatible with the indexing means of the previous flat supports.
• the process stopping time necessary to mechanically adjust the indexing of the new flat supports is then relatively long.
• the method of the state of the art can also be further improved in terms of rates.
• the object of the invention is to propose a process for depositing individual products on planar dimpled supports which gives complete satisfaction in terms of performance, particularly in terms of rate of deposition.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a method which makes it possible to capture, at high rates, products which are not separated from each other, that is to say in contact, or which overlap one another.
• Another object of the invention is to provide such a method which does not require any mechanical tools when the references of planar supports change and therefore no adjustment time.
• Another object of the invention is to provide such a method that does not require or few stops during said reference change.
• the invention aims to provide a more efficient method and offering a better removal performance than the counterparts of the state of the art.
• the method comprises:
• a second step consisting in locating an individual product to be grasped, in position and in orientation, via a first 2D or 3D vision system subject to said poly-articulated system;
• This method is repeated in the third step and continued as many times as necessary, depending on the number of cells to be filled.
• the method makes it possible to grasp and deposit, one by one, products in cells of a plane support.
• another plane support is conveyed in the same way, that is to say, without being mechanically indexed in position and orientation, towards the field of action of the plane. poly-articulated system for receiving products.
• One or more non-indexed planar supports may be present at the same time in the field, in the second vision system, and in the action of the multi-articulated system.
• the flat supports are not mechanically indexed in position and orientation relative to the conveying means, so that when the poly-articulated system deposits a product, said planar support is likely to shift, and its orientation is likely to change.
• the method according to the invention has provided the fourth step of locating, in the field of action of the poly-articulated system, in position and orientation, and in masked time with respect to each input of a product, the next cell intended to receive said seized product. In this way, even if the orientation of the plane support is changed between two product drops, the poly-articulated system adapts automatically, in real time and in a reflex manner, and deposits the product correctly in the cell, which has always been previously located. .
• the receptacle for receiving a product is located, in position and in orientation, before each removal of said product, so that the system is able to adapt to any change of situation, such as a change of orientation of the product.
• plane support or in particular a plane support reference change.
• This step of locating, in position and orientation, the receiving cell is relatively fast and does not slow down the product removal process because it is performed in masked time and reflexively with respect to the seizure of the product to be deposited. .
• references of products to be deposited, and / or planar supports change, no tools or mechanical adjustment is necessary.
• the new reference flat supports is simply placed on the conveying means, without particular indexing, and the continuous process are running.
• the poly-articulated system is programmed to capture and deposit a product reference according to a corresponding cell.
• the references are changed, either the program already takes into account this new reference, or it is enough simply to launch a new program which will take into account this new reference.
• the process stopping time is relatively short, or even zero, compared to the stopping times necessary to adjust the mechanical indexing of new references as is currently the case in the processes of the state of the art.
• the process according to the invention is faster than those of the state of the art, and makes it possible to deposit products on flat planar supports at very fast industrial rates.
• the yield is therefore optimal.
• the steps of locating a product to be grasped can also be carried out in the field of action of the poly-articulated manipulation system.
• the location steps are out of sync with the entry steps. This makes it possible in particular to carry out the location steps in masked time with respect to said inputting steps, and not wasting time during the execution of the method.
• the yield is all the more optimal.
• the state of the art proposes to perform this locating step upstream of the field of action of the poly-articulated system so as to never be hindered by the position of the arm of the poly-articulated system, and also to have comfortable image processing time.
• the methods of the state of the art do not make it possible to grasp products that are in contact, and consequently these processes require the implementation of an additional step of separating the products from each other, upstream of the product. image taking, by any suitable mechanical means and often specific to the type of product.
• the method according to the invention thus makes it possible to dispense with this additional step, and thus advantageously has a much more compact implantation.
• the planar supports comprise other cells complementary to other individual product references, and are, after receiving individual products of a first reference, conveyed in the field. of action of other poly-articulated systems which repeat the previously described method with other references of individual products to enter and deposit in said other cells.
• the invention also relates to an installation for depositing individual products in flat planar supports, intended to implement the aforementioned method.
• the installation comprises:
• a poly-articulated manipulation system capable of grasping and depositing a product in a field of action
• a first conveying bench capable of conveying, towards the field of action of the poly-articulated system, a plurality of individual products in an irregular manner and with random orientations; a first vision system subject to the poly-articulated system and arranged to locate, in position and orientation and in masked time with respect to each removal of a product, a product disposed on the first conveyor bench;
• a second conveying bench capable of conveying, towards the field of action of the poly-articulated system, planar supports not mechanically indexed in orientation and comprising cells of shapes complementary to the individual products, and;
• a second vision system subject to the poly-articulated system and arranged to locate, in the field of action of the poly-articulated system, in position and orientation, and in real time and masked with respect to each seizure of a product , the corresponding cell of the planar support for receiving the seized product.
• the first vision system is arranged to locate a product in the field of action of the poly-articulated system.
• FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation seen from above of FIG. an installation intended to implement the deposition method according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is a schematic representation similar to that of FIG. 1, the installation comprising a plurality of poly-articulated systems
• Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the depositing method according to the invention.
• the installation (1) for depositing individual products (2) in cellular planar supports (3) firstly comprises a poly-articulated (4) handling system. of individual products (2), at least four degrees of freedom.
• This poly-articulated system (4) is particularly intended to capture, in a field of action (5), one by one, products (2) previously located, in position and orientation, and to deposit them in a cell ( 3a) previously located, in position and orientation, a plane support (3) conveyed in said field of action (5) of the poly-articulated system (4).
• the flat supports (3) are, for example, of the tray type, and comprise a plurality of cells (3a) of shapes complementary to the products (2) to be received.
• a planar support (3) may comprise a plurality of cells (3a) of the same shape, each intended to receive the same product (2), or else series of cells (3a) different, each series being intended to receive a series of products (2) of different shapes.
• the installation (1) furthermore comprises a first conveying bench (6) capable of conveying, towards the field of action (5) of the poly-articulated system (4), a plurality of individual products (2), d an irregular way and with random orientations.
• a first vision system (7) is subject to the poly-articulated system (4), and is intended to locate a product (2), in position and orientation, and masked time with respect to each removal of a product ( 2), arranged on the first conveying bench (6) to enable said poly-articulated system (4) to grasp with a determined orientation said product (2) located.
• This first vision system (7) comprises, for example, at least one camera provided with a lighting system.
• This camera is a two-dimensional type camera and well known to those skilled in the art.
• the principle consists in taking one or more images of the products (2) to be seized.
• the camera views in a plane, that of the first conveyor bench (6), and records images of said products (2) to capture, seen from above.
• the images are then digitized for use by an image processing software that determines the position and orientation of the product (2) to be entered, according to a benchmark related to the poly-articulated system (4).
• the coordinates of the product (2) are sent to the poly-articulated system (4) which is able to grasp it, in a defined orientation to deposit it optimally in a cell (3a). .
• the location of the product (2) to be captured is performed in the field of action (5) of the poly-articulated system (4) to enable this step to be carried out between two seizures. and recalculate the new position of a neighboring product that would have been moved during the input stage of the previous product with which it would have been in contact. This reflex operation is performed quickly in masked time with respect to each product deposit (2).
• the poly-articulated system (4) is able to grip a product (2) and comprises for this purpose gripping means well known in the state of the art. These gripping means are to be defined according to the nature of the products (2) to be grasped, and may be in the form of suction cups for example.
• the installation (1) then comprises a second conveying bench (8) capable of conveying, to the field of action (5) of the poly-articulated system (4), flat honeycomb supports (3) not mechanically indexed in orientation.
• a second vision system (9) is subject to the poly-articulated system (4) and is intended to locate, in the field of action (5) of the poly-articulated system (4), in position and orientation, and in time masked with respect to each seizure of product (2), the cell (3a) for receiving the product (2), to enable said poly-articulated system (4) to deposit the product (2) seized in the localized cell (3a).
• This second 2D or 3D vision system (9) is generally similar to the first 2D or 3D vision system (7) and is well known in the state of the art.
• the corresponding receiving cell (3a) is located in masked time with respect to the input of said product (2).
• the poly-articulated system (4) adapts automatically.
• the references of the products (2) to be deposited and / or planar supports (3) change, the poly-articulated system (4) adapts automatically and the process does not require any stop for mechanical adjustments.
• each poly-articulated system (4) may notably comprise several poly-articulated systems (4) for performing the operations of capturing and removing several product references (2) in a planar support (3) provided with several cells (3a) different.
• each poly-articulated system (4) comprises a first conveyor bench (6) conveying a product reference (2) to enter.
• the second conveying bench (8) which conveys the planar supports (3) is the same for all the poly-articulated systems (4).
• the planar supports (3) thus pass successively in the field of action (5) of each poly-articulated system (4).
• Each poly-articulated system (4) is subject to a first (7) and a second (9) 2D or 3D vision system as described above.
• the installation (1) according to the invention makes it possible to implement a process for depositing individual products (2) in flat honeycombed supports (3) which are more efficient than those of the state of the art, particularly in terms of efficiency. , and especially in terms of changing references, and process downtime for such changes.
• the installation allows the implementation of the method to comprise:
• Said method is repeated in the third step (C) and continued as many times as necessary, in particular, until the plane support (3) has received all the individual products (2) that it was to receive.
• the process is then repeated in the first step (A).
• the invention thus provides an installation (1) and a method for depositing individual products (2) on flat planar supports (3) which give complete satisfaction. More particularly, the installation (1) and the method make it easy to accept the changes of product references (2) to be deposited and / or planar supports (3).
• the method and the installation (1) according to the invention also make it possible to eliminate the tools, to reduce very clearly the process downtime during such changes of references, and thus allow to have an optimal removal performance.
• the efficiency is also improved by the method itself which implements steps performed in masked time compared to others, and by desynchronizing the steps of locating and entering products (2).

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Robotics (AREA)
• Manipulator (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (3)

Citations (4)

• 2014
  • 2014-02-10 FR FR1451023A patent/FR3017369B1/fr active Active
• 2015
  • 2015-02-05 EP EP15706892.5A patent/EP3105014A1/de not_active Ceased
  • 2015-02-05 WO PCT/FR2015/050272 patent/WO2015118266A1/fr not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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