ES2336706T3 - IMPROVED TRANSPORT MEDIUM. - Google Patents

Abstract

A conveyor for beverage packages includes an endless series of spacer elements by which successive packages (A) are spaced apart from one another. Each spacer element of the series includes a pair of leading and trailing carton engaging lugs ( 412, 414 ). The leading and trailing lugs ( 412, 414 ) are adjustable from a first setting in which both the leading and trailing lugs of each pair are in abutment with one another to a second setting in which the leading and trailing lugs of each pair are separated from one another.

Description

Improved means of transport.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a means of improved transport for use in applications such as a system based on the use of a conveyor belt for Mount a series of objects. More in particular but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a means of transport as used in construction, assembly and filling of packaging items such as boxes and cardboard containers.

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Background of the invention

It is known to provide mounting systems for packaging that are dedicated machines, adapted to build Only one size and one type of carton. In consecuense, in modern packaging plants the use of a plurality of packaging machines for packing types of Different cardboard container, each machine occupying a space considerable of land and it is expensive to buy and operate said machine.

There is a limited selection of systems packing assembly that can be adapted to accommodate Different sizes and packaging configurations. But nevertheless, normally such systems are characterized by operation quite complex to adapt to accommodate a new configuration or size of packing die. This causes a considerable "change time", the time when the machine does not is being handled while the necessary changes are made to adapt the machine to accommodate the new dies of packaging. Thus, the adaptation process can be very long, and may include manual removal of all units within the packing machine and possibly mechanical adjustment of components in the machine. This extended change process can lead to a significant downtime and a substantial loss of productivity, with the concomitant phenomenon of disadvantages economic.

A prior art of machine is described packing assembly in EP 0 017 333. In this document, without However, adjacent items to be mounted on the tape conveyor are separated and transported along the middle of transport by measuring bars 51. However, the bars of measurement described in EP 0017333 are not easily removable or adaptable, or able to help with the inclination of an article adjacent in a desired configuration.

Another prior art of machine is described. Packaging assembly in the US 5,711,137.

It is an objective of the present invention the seek to overcome, or at least mitigate, the problems associated with the prior art of packing assembly systems, offering a alternative means of transport system that is easily adaptable in a way that allows for the accommodation of different sizes and shapes of containers on the means of transport in the field of a single mounting system.

It will be understood that, while the example of a Packing machine is sent in all this specification, this it only serves as an exemplary non-restrictive aid to the clarification of the details of the present invention, and that the means of transport of the present invention can be applied to any means of Large-scale assembly for a series of units.

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Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention a means of transport is provided for beverage packaging whose means of transport incorporates an infinite series of elements separators by which successive packages are separated from each other at a predetermined distance, each element series separator comprising front and rear legs in contact with a cardboard box, said front leg and said Rear leg are adjustable from a first setting in which both the anterior and the posterior leg butt each other to take the separation between said separating elements to the maximum to a second adjustment in which the anterior and posterior legs are separated from each other in such a way that the separation between said separator elements is less than said maximum characterized in that said anterior legs and posterior legs they mate with each other, when they are taken to butt each other, of so that it prevents them from overtaking each other.

Preferably, the legs of each element separator are constructed and adjusted so that they are capable  to engage in a spatially complementary way. Plus preferably, one or more of the legs are carried in the path of displacement of a conveyor belt.

It is preferable that one or more of the legs are adapted to be removable from the path of travel.

It is also preferable that each route of displacement is provided with one or more bolt components, and  one or more of the legs are supported on one or more of the bolt components.

More preferably, each leg is provided with fixing means complementary to a fixing part of the bolt component, to fix the or each leg to a component of cap screw.

According to an optional feature of this aspect of the present invention, each fixed leg can be removed by hand from its respective bolt component or bolt components without Need for any instrument or machinery.

Yet another optional feature of this aspect of the present invention stipulates that at least one edge of each leg is constructed in such a way that an edge of an article can be deflected adjacent to be mounted on the conveyor belt to Adopt a desired setting.

According to another optional feature of this aspect of the present invention, one or more of the legs are provided in addition to a rotating means and an adapted drive means to mechanically drive each said leg towards an article adjacent to divert the item to a configuration desired.

Within the scope of this aspect of the invention present one or more of the bolt components may be preferably provided with a plurality of parts of fixing at different heights, such that a leg can be thereby mounted on a bolt component in any of a plurality of different heights.

According to yet another favorite feature of this aspect of the present invention, it is envisioned that the adoption of the different leg configurations allow the housing of a plurality of different sizes and configurations of article to be mounted on the conveyor belt.

According to a second aspect of the invention a bolt component adapted for connect a leg of a conveyor belt according to the invention Present.

Preferably, the fixing means takes the shape of a groove or opening within the shape of the component of cap screw.

According to an optional feature of this aspect of the present invention, the bolt component is further adapted to connect a tape path conveyor

A third aspect of the present invention provides a leg for employment in conjunction with the means of transport of the present invention.

Preferably, an outer edge of the leg It is built and regulated to divert an adjacent item in A desired setting.

More preferably, the leg is also provided with a rotating means and a drive means for help the direction of the leg towards an adjacent article.

A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a machine for packing items comprising a means of adaptable transport to allow the machine to adapt easily to transport the cardboard packages of different settings

Brief description of the drawings

To help your description, a series of exemplary preferred embodiments, not restrictive  of the present invention. To this end, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which also serve only for exemplify and in no way limit the scope of the present invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of part of a conveyor belt according to the invention present in use;

Figures 2A and 2B show the legs according to the present invention, legs in correspondence (so interchangeable according to employment) to a first and second leg of a spacer element of the present invention mode;

Figures 2C and 2D show how, according to a feature preferred of the present invention, a first foreleg may be brought into alignment with a second rear leg, of a spatially complementary way;

Figure 2E shows a preferred mode of alternative embodiment of the legs according to the present invention entwined with each other, in which numbers are used corresponding to those of Figures 2C and 2D, but with the suffix "a";

Figure 3 shows displacement paths according to the present invention, provided with bolt components according to a optional preferred feature of the present invention;

Figure 4 shows a plan view of legs carried on a route of displacement;

Figures 5 to 7 schematically illustrate how a variation in the separation can be achieved within the scope of the present invention by adjusting the relative positions of the respective front and rear legs of elements successive spacers to fit sizes and configurations different items to be mounted on the middle of transport.

Description of the preferred embodiment

According to the preferred embodiment specific to the present invention, and with particular reference to Figure 1 shows the use of a part of a machine Packing copy 410 for the assembly of cardboard packages A, said machine incorporates the transport means 420 of the invention Present. A means of transport 420 is shown for transporting the cardboard packages to be assembled, and it is provided with one or several legs 412, 414 according to the invention present on each side of the means of transport 420. A plurality of cardboard packages that are mounted on the means of transport 420 of the present invention.

The means of transport 420 comprises a number of legs 412, 414 grouped as one or more elements spacers, each comprising a pair of legs 412, 414. Each said pair is separable, one leg 412, 414 of the other 414, 412, and the two legs 412, 414 of said pair are each mobile independently of the other, along a path of displacement 440 provided to facilitate the displacement of a series of legs 412, 414 in a forward direction and towards back in relation to the direction of movement X of the means of transport 420.

In this way, in the operation, at least one anterior leg 412 can be quickly displaced in relation to the position of the other rear leg 414 so that the adjacent separation between legs 412, 414. The resulting change of the separation on the means of transport 420 allows an easy hosting different article sizes or configurations - or In this non-restrictive example, the cardboard container A - with a Quick change than to minimize downtime before that the means of transport 420 continues in operation. The Figure 5 schematically illustrates this process of adaptation to the separation by leg movement 412, 414.

An alternative to interlace the setting for legs 412a, 414a is illustrated in Figure 2E of the invention present, and can be used to confer additional stability lateral to the pair of legs 412a, 414a used.

In particular, it is preferred, but not required. that this adjustment to interlace the legs 412a, 414a be used to along one side of a means of transport 420 employed, and that the leg adjustment 412, 414, considerably as shown in Figures 2A to 2D, be used along the opposite side of the means of transport 420. More preferably, the set of legs coupled 412a, 414a is used on the side of the means of transport  420 from which the cardboard packages are loaded before assembly, for example with bottles. Even more preferably, the leg set 412a, 414a closest to the load side of the boxes and the cartons A is adapted to be in shape slightly wider than legs 412, 414 on the opposite side of the means of transport 420. Thus, in this case preferred the game of coupled legs 412a, 414a has stability and strength enough so that the set of coupled legs 412a, 414a can be used only optionally to transport items A to length of means of transport 420.

To maximize the possible distribution in separation lengths that can be provided by the legs 412, 414 of the present invention, legs 412, 414 are preferably fit in pairs, adapted to be separated in addition to each other, so that they can fit to effectively form single legs, each separated to the maximum of the next. Said lace complementary leg sets 412, 414 is illustrated in Figures 2C, 2D and 2E. The legs are able to fit in such a way that a pair of legs can rest over another in such a way that each leg helps the stability of the another leg in one or another longitudinal direction, along the means of transport Additionally, the arrangement of leg coupling provides the track with means of transport lateral and transverse stability.

It will also be appreciated that in the invention present overlay and / or interlaced configuration prevent that legs on different chains advance to each other. In other words a leg that is in a way of 440 offset as a chain is limited between two legs adjacent on the other chain.

It is preferable that legs 412, 414 are so adapted along an edge that connects items A to be mounted in a way that deflects items A in a desired setting In Figure 1, each pair of legs 412, 414 it has been carried together so that the two legs 412, 414 butt each other, and thus maximizes the separation between the pairs successive legs 412, 414.

The outer edges of the combined pair of legs 412, 414 are adapted in the example shown in Figure 1 to be wider in its upper parts 422, 424 than in its parts central, so that the top of each carton A held between these two legs 412, 414 deviates into that cardboard container structure A, to reach the desired gradual decrease of the carton and thus achieve the "gable" of said carton. In the alternative case, for example, from a wide-edge cardboard container A, a simple leg formed considerably oblong 412, 414 could be replaced. Said leg may comprise parallel sides, the legs they could even be mounted to provide longitudinal support to another leg, so that both legs form a pair that can be considered as a single leg.

In the case of cardboard packaging with "gable" A, the configuration of the present invention has clear advantages. In particular, when adjacent legs 412, 414 are kept in a close register by the movement of at least a leg 412, 414 along its track 440 and in relationship with another, the resulting double leg has a configuration considerably Y-shaped. However, both legs 412, 414 retain their ability to influence their respective carton packs adjacent A in the "gable" configuration, even when are separated by another movement from one in relation to the other to along its 440 track, to accommodate a size Smaller cardboard packaging A. Later on it will be appreciated that Each leg is able to connect with a cardboard container A both by its front end as by its rear end in such a way that the leg can be adapted to act on a cardboard container A at both ends thus providing a means of transport that it has a plurality of configurations in which there is no "dead space" that is all the space above the middle of transport is used to transport items as illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7.

An optional aspect of the present invention stipulates that one or more of the legs 412, 414 are available on an articulated pivot means (not shown), and can be preferably rotated on said pivot means by means of action to cause leg 412, 414 to be pushed towards a adjacent article A, to help article A to be influenced in A desired setting.

It will be understood that the shape of the legs 412, 414 is not limited to the scope of the present invention, and could adopt any configuration that is complementary to the desired configuration of items A to be mounted on the means of transport 420.

Actually, according to another optional preferred feature of the present invention, one or more of the legs 412, 414 may be easily changed by those of a configuration different, to accommodate a different set of items A on the means of transport 420.

According to this feature of the present invention, one or several of the 440 movement paths, like a chain, is provided with a series of 430 bolt components, exemplified by those shown in Figure 5. These bolt components 430 are preferably built and arranged in order to fix the contact of the legs 412, 414. The bolt components 430 are preferably arranged to be able to be moved by a 440 track in the directions to forward and backward Y, Z in regards to the direction of movement of transport means 420. Bolt components 430 they are able to pass each other when the legs 412, 414 have been removed.

Preferably, the fixing is carried out by the provision of fixing means 416, 418 inside the legs 412, 414; normally, although not by necessity, this means of Fixing 416, 418 takes the form of a short bar or bolt. According to this preferred configuration, the fixing means 416, 418 it is built and arranged to cooperate with a part of complementary fixing 432 of bolt component 430. This part of complementary fixing 432 preferably comprises a groove or opening within the outer shape of the bolt component 430

Optionally, a plurality of fixing parts 432 at different heights above the 430 bolt component, each capable of cooperating with the means of fixing 416, 418 leg 412, 414. In this way, a leg 412, 414 can be mounted on bolt component 430 in any of a plurality of heights, thus ensuring the accommodation of a plurality of different heights of article A on the medium of transport 420.

More preferably, the fixing means 416, 418 of leg 412, 414 is held in a certain position by a spring in such a way that it can easily be arranged out of cooperation with the fixing part 432 of the component 430 bolt by hand. This also facilitates the rapid change between different shapes and sizes of leg 412, 414 to allow for array adaptation, to accommodate a different configuration or article size A on the means of transport 420 with a time minimum inactivity of the means of transport.

It is clearly provided by those present applicants that features the preferred mode of particular preferred embodiment described above could be changed without leaving the scope of the present invention. By For example, it will be understood that the separator element can also employ more than two legs in cooperation with each other, and still stay within the scope of the present invention.

It is contemplated within the scope of the present invention, as defined according to the claims, that the device can form a sub assembly of a larger machine of packaging that offers different functionality with respect to Packaging of items such as cans or bottles, inside the containers of cardboard mounted.

It will also be understood that although the terms as "top", "in the middle", "center", "first" and "second" have sometimes been used by This specification, this does not limit the respective components to which refer to any particular position or orientation. Also, it will be understood that any configuration particular leg 412, 414, or bolt component 430, or half 416, 418, can be adopted without going beyond the scope of The present invention.

Claims (18)

1. Means of transport for beverage packages, whose means of transport (420) incorporates an infinite series of separating elements by means of which successive packages are separated from each other at a predetermined distance, each separating element of the series comprises anterior legs and in contact with a cardboard box (412, 414), said front leg (412) and said rear leg (414) are adjustable from a first adjustment in which both the front leg (412) and the rear leg (414) they abut each other to maximize separation between said separator elements and a second adjustment in which the front leg (412) and the rear leg (414) are separated from each other in such a way that the separation between said separating elements is lower than said maximum, characterized in that said anterior and posterior legs engage each other, when they are brought to abut each other, so as to prevent them from advancing the to the other. 2. Means of transport as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front legs (412) and the rear legs (414) are constructed and adjusted in such a way that are able to mate with each other in a way spatially complementary. 3. Means of transport as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one or several of the legs (412, 414) on a track (440). 4. Means of transport as claimed in claim 3, wherein one or more of the legs (412, 414) are adapted to be removable from the track (440). 5. Means of transport as claimed in claim 4, wherein the or each path of travel (440) it is provided with a series of bolt components (430), and one or several of the legs (412, 414) are supported on one or several bolt components. 6. Means of transport as claimed in claim 5, wherein each leg (412, 414) is provided with fixing means, complementary to a fixing part of the bolt component (430), to fix the leg or each leg (412, 414) to a bolt component (430). 7. Means of transport as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein each leg fixed (412, 414) can be manually released from its component respective bolt (430) or bolt components (430) without Need for any instrument or machinery. 8. Means of transport as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein an edge of each leg (412, 414) is constructed in such a way that it can be move an edge of an adjacent article to be mounted on the means of transport to adopt a desired configuration. 9. Means of transport according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the leg (412, 414) is also provided with a rotating means and a drive means adapted to mechanically drive the leg (412, 414) towards a adjacent article to divert this article to a desired setting 10. Means of transport as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the Bolt component (430) is provided with a plurality of parts fixing (432) at different heights, such that the leg (412, 414) can be mounted on the bolt component (430) in any of a plurality of different heights. 11. Means of transport as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 10 wherein the adoption of the different legs allows the accommodation of a plurality of different sizes and configurations of the item intended to be mounted on the means of transport. 12. Bolt component (430), which is fixed on the transport means according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the bolt component (430) contains a groove or an opening (432) in its outer form, this slot or opening secures the hitch between the bolt component and a hitch leg of the transport medium
tea. 13. Bolt component as claimed in claim 12, this bolt component (430) is further adapted to make contact with a path of travel (440) of said means of transport. 14. Leg (412, 414) for employment in conjunction with a means of transport, this leg is designed so that can be coupled with another similar leg, when taken to do butt with said other similar leg, so that it prevents you from legs pass one in front of the other. 15. Leg as claimed in the claim 14, wherein an outer edge of the leg (412, 414) it is built and placed so that a adjacent article in order to take it to a configuration desired. 16. Leg as claimed in the claim 14 or 15, also provided with a rotating means and of a drive means intended to help the leg be Direct to an adjacent article. 17. Machine for packing items comprising a means of transport (420) according

quad

any one of claims 1 to 11 for allow the machine to adapt easily to transport Cardboard packages of different configurations.

18. Means of transport according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the leg coupling posterior (414) and the anterior leg (412) increases stiffness by at least one of these legs (412, 414) at least in one address.