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
  • B65B69/00—Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for
  • B65B69/0025—Removing or cutting binding material, e.g. straps or bands
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
  • B26D5/00—Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
  • B26D5/08—Means for actuating the cutting member to effect the cut
  • B26D5/12—Fluid-pressure means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
  • B26D7/00—Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
  • B26D7/01—Means for holding or positioning work
  • B26D7/02—Means for holding or positioning work with clamping means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
  • B26F—PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING
  • B26F3/00—Severing by means other than cutting; Apparatus therefor
  • B26F3/06—Severing by using heat
  • B26F3/08—Severing by using heat with heated members
  • B26F3/12—Severing by using heat with heated members with heated wires

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a strap removal apparatus for the automated removal of a strap tightened around a layer of assembled articles, particularly bottles.
• a strap consists of a strong belt of synthetic material with its ends welded to each other to form a ring that, in the application referred to in the present description, surrounds the layer of bottles so as to stabilize them.
• an automatic depalletizer picks up the layers of bottles one at a time and places them on a conveyor belt to be transferred to the subsequent stations.
• an operator equipped with a manual cutting tool such as a box-cutter, shears and the like, cuts the strap and removes it manually so as to free the bottles for the subsequent bottling steps.
• a drawback of the procedure mentioned above is that, since the bottles are freed before the transfer onto the conveyor belt, they can easily fall, both before the bottles are picked up by the depalletizer and during the placing of the bottles on the conveyor belt.
• the vertical position of the strap can vary considerably from one layer of bottles to the next. This factor, as is known, further complicates the development of a repeatable and reliable automated process.
• the aim of the present invention is to provide a strap removal apparatus that makes it possible to remove the strap tightened around a layer of assembled articles, particularly bottles, in a completely automated manner and, at the same time, in a highly reliable and repeatable manner.
• an object of the invention is to provide a strap removal apparatus that makes it possible to remove the strap in a controlled manner, so as to facilitate its possible recovery.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a strap removal apparatus that is highly reliable, easily and practically implemented, and at low cost.
• a strap removal apparatus can be installed at the entry point of a conveyor belt CB (shown only schematically in Figures 1 , 4-6 and 8 ) that receives layers of bottles B in succession from an automatic depalletizer (not shown) in order to transfer them toward a bottling line.
• a conveyor belt CB shown only schematically in Figures 1 , 4-6 and 8
• an automatic depalletizer not shown
• Each layer of bottles B is stably held together by a strap S which, in a manner in and of itself known, consists of a strong belt of synthetic material tightened in a ring around the layer of bottles B.
• the strap removal apparatus 10 comprises:
• the first strap cutting assembly 12 is installed on one side of the conveyor belt CB and the strap disposal assembly 16 is installed on the opposite side.
• the first strap cutting means 14 comprise advantageously a first filament 26 made of conductive material, which is supported so that it can move between a resting position ( Figure 4 ), laterally spaced apart from the strap S, and an active position ( Figures 5-8 ), immediately proximate to or in contact with the strap S in the first cutting region Zc', and is connected to an electrical source V (shown only schematically in Figure 2 ).
• the electrical source V can be activated for heating, by the Joule effect, the first filament 26, when it is in the active position, to a temperature that is such as to locally melt the strap S in the first cutting region Zc' thus causing it to open.
• the first filament 26 is mounted on a first fork-like support 28 provided with two arms 28a, 28b which at their ends support two respective idle pulleys 30a, 30b so that they can rotate.
• the first filament 26 engages the two idle pulleys 30a, 30b and has its opposite ends connected to the two arms 28a, 28b by way of two respective traction springs 32a, 32b which keep it under tension.
• the first fork-like support 28 is fixed to a first straight horizontal guide 34, which extends transversely to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor belt CB and is supported so that it can slide, at the command of a first actuator 36, by a first horizontal guide support 38 which is fixed to a first fixed structure F1 of the strap removal apparatus 10.
• the first actuator 36 is of the pneumatic type.
• a filament pressing device 40 is mounted between the arms 28a, 28b of the first fork-like support 28, and can be actuated to press the first filament 26 against the strap S when the first filament 26 is in the active position ( Figures 6-8 ), for more precise control of the cutting step.
• the filament pressing device 40 comprises an actuator device 42 provided with a piston 44, which in this embodiment is subjected to an elastic thrust outward and to a pneumatic thrust inward, and to the end of which a punch 46 is fixed which is shaped to engage a portion of the first filament 26 which is at least equal to the height of the strap S.
• the punch 46 advantageously has a frustum-shaped profile, with the smaller end face arranged so as to diametrically engage the first filament 26 and with a diameter substantially equal to the height of the strap S.
• the strap recovery means 18 comprise:
• the strap pick-up device 48 comprises advantageously an automated clamp 52 which is supported so that it can move between a resting position ( Figure 4 ), which is spaced apart from the strap S, and a grip position ( Figures 6-8 ), in which it can be activated in order to grip the strap S in the gripping region Zp.
• the automated clamp 52 For moving between the resting position and the grip position, the automated clamp 52 is fixed to a vertical straight guide 54 which can slide, at the command of a second actuator 56, on a vertical guide support 58.
• the latter is in turn connected to a slider 60 which can slide on a second straight horizontal guide 62, which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor belt CB, incorporates a third actuator for moving the slider 60, and is fixed to a second fixed structure F2 ( Figure 4 ) of the strap removal apparatus 10.
• the second actuator and the third actuator are also of the pneumatic type.
• the automated clamp 52 comprises a pneumatic cylinder 64 equipped with a piston 66 which can be actuated to abut against a fixed locator 68, with the strap S interposed between them ( Figures 6 and 8 ).
• the strap pulling device 50 comprises a pair of mutually opposite motorized belts 70, 72, which are supported so that they can move in relation to each other between a resting position, in which they are mutually spaced apart, and a pulling position, in which they are pressed against each other in a relationship of pulling by friction, with the strap S interposed between them.
• the motorized belts 70, 72 are adapted to engage respectively the outer faces of the two flaps of strap SL1, SL2 ( Figure 7 ) that extend on the opposite sides of the gripping region Zp.
• the motorized belts 70, 72 are fixed respectively to a third straight horizontal guide 74 and to a fourth straight horizontal guide 76, which extend parallel to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor belt CB and can slide, at the command of a fourth actuator 78 and of a fifth actuator 80, respectively on a second horizontal support guide 82 and a third horizontal support guide 84, both of which are fixed to a third fixed structure F3 of the strap removal apparatus 10.
• the motorized belts 70, 72 are aligned vertically with the automated clamp 52 when it is in the grip position.
• the insertion of the strap S between the motorized belts 70, 72 is guided by a pair of guiding pins 85a, 85b which are located directly upstream of the motorized belts 70, 72 ( Figures 3 and 9 ).
• the strap supporting element 86 comprises a plate 90 which faces the strap cutting element 88 and is folded into a C-shape so as to present a first supporting edge, or upstream supporting edge 90a, which is folded on the side of the strap cutting element 88 and is located upstream of the latter with respect to the strap recovery means 18, and a second supporting edge, or downstream supporting edge 90b, which is also folded on the side of the strap cutting element 88 and is located downstream of the latter with respect to the strap recovery means 18.
• the strap S rests on the upstream supporting edge 90a and on the downstream supporting edge 90b of the plate 90.
• a locking element 92 which is integral with the strap cutting element 88 is arranged so as to abut against the strap supporting element 86, when the strap cutting element 88 and the strap supporting element 86 are in the cutting position, so as to lock the strap S downstream of the strap cutting element 88.
• the locking element abuts against the downstream supporting edge 90b of the plate 90.
• the strap supporting element 86 and the strap cutting element 88 are fixed respectively to a fifth straight horizontal guide 94 and to a sixth straight horizontal guide 96, which extend parallel to the longitudinal extension of the conveyor belt CB and can slide, at the command of a sixth actuator 98 and of a seventh actuator 100, respectively on a fourth horizontal support guide 102 and a fifth horizontal support guide 104, both of which are fixed to a fourth fixed structure F4 of the strap removal apparatus 10.
• both the sixth actuator and the seventh actuator are of the pneumatic type.
• the second strap cutting means 22 are aligned vertically with the motorized belts 70, 72.
• the strap cutting element 88 comprises a second filament 106 ( Figure 3 ) made of conductive material, which is connected to the electrical source V and is installed on a second fork-like support 108 which is fixed to the sixth straight horizontal guide 96.
• the electrical source V can be activated, when the strap supporting element 86 and the strap cutting element 88 are in the cutting position, for heating, by the Joule effect, the second filament 106 to a temperature that is such as to locally melt the strap S in the second cutting region Zc".
• control unit 24 ( Figure 1 ).
• the latter advantageously, can receive signals from sensor means (not shown) which are arranged so as to detect, e.g., the vertical position of the strap S tightened around the layer of bottles B, in order to more precisely control the step of gripping the strap S by the automated clamp 52.
• sensor means not shown
• the programming of the control unit 24 comes under the normal knowledge of the person skilled in the art and therefore it will not be described here.
• Figure 4 shows the starting configuration, in which the conveyor belt CB has received a layer of bottles B (e.g., a 6x6 layer of bottles) which are stably held together by a strap S.
• a layer of bottles B e.g., a 6x6 layer of bottles
• the first strap cutting means 14 are in their resting position, horizontally spaced apart from the strap S.
• the automated clamp 52 is open and is also in its resting position which, in this embodiment, is spaced apart both vertically and horizontally from the strap S.
• the motorized belts 70, 72 are also located in their respective resting positions and are mutually spaced apart, as are the strap supporting element 86 and the strap cutting element 88 (see for example Figures 7 and 9 ).
• the first actuator 36 brings the first filament 26 to the immediate vicinity of the first cutting region Zc' of the strap S.
• the filament pressing device 40 presses the first filament 26 against the strap S.
• a voltage is applied to the first filament 26 which heats it to a temperature that is such as to locally melt the strap S in the first cutting region Zc', so as to open the strap S and free the layer of bottles B.
• the motorized belts 70, 72 are closed in the pulling position, so as to imprison the strap S.
• the strap supporting element 86 and the strap cutting element 88 are closed in the cutting position.
• the strap S is locked between the locking element 92 and the downstream supporting edge 90b of the plate 90, and the second filament 106 is in contact with the strap S.
• the automated clamp 52 can be opened and return to the resting position, while the second filament 106 is heated to a temperature that is such as to locally melt the strap S in the second cutting region Zc", to the point where it causes the separation of the portion of strap downstream of the second strap cutting means 22, which can fall by gravity, e.g., into a collection container (not shown).
• the strap removal apparatus 10 is returned to the starting configuration, to await the removal of another strap from the next layer of bottles that will be placed on the conveyor belt CB.
• the strap removal cycle although being completely automated, has a very high degree of reliability and a very high degree of repeatability.
• This result derives mainly from the fact that, after it is opened, the strap is recovered with a controlled stepwise motion and the portioning is executed during the stopping phases of this stepwise motion.
• This also enables precise control of the size range of the portions of strap, for the purposes of a possible recovery, in conformance with the additional set objects.
• the horizontal straight guides and the vertical straight guide can be substituted by different means for movement, possibly electrically-actuated.
• different means for movement possibly electrically-actuated.
• linear movements along a single axis (as is the case with the first strap-cutting means 14, motorized belts 70, 72, and also the strap supporting element 86 and the strap cutting element 88)
• alternative movement means based on a rack and pinion, or on a worm gear and lead screw.
• movements along two or more axes as is the case with the automated clamp 52, it is also possible to use robotic arms.
• the filament pressing device 40 may not necessarily be essential.
• the first actuator 36 could bring the first filament 26 directly into contact with the strap S, or so close to it as to still cause its localized melting.
• the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions may be any according to the requirements and to the state of the art.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Forests & Forestry (AREA)
• Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)

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• 2025
  • 2025-03-05 EP EP25161832.8A patent/EP4613662A3/fr active Pending

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