ES2681877T3 - Apparatus for forming product groups on an edge - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for forming groups of products (P) on an edge, comprising: - a supply unit (14) configured to feed at least one continuous formation of products (P) on the edge, and - at least one device (16) for forming blocks arranged to receive successive groups of products (P) on the edge of said supply unit (14), in which said supply unit (14) can be configured to feed the products (P) to said device ( 16) for forming blocks in a volumetric mode or in a numerical mode, characterized in that said supply unit (14) comprises an extractor device (50) operable to extract individual products (P) from said continuous formation of products (P) on the edge when the supply unit (14) is configured to feed the products (P) in numerical mode, and in which the apparatus comprises a volumetric guide (34V) and a numerical guide (34N) interchangeable and selective Installable on the supply unit (14), one instead of the other.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Apparatus for forming product groups on an edge Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the packaging of products, for example cookies or the like, and refers to an apparatus for forming groups of products on an edge that starts from a continuous flow of products on the edge.

Description of the prior art

In the field of packaging of food products, in particular biscuits or the like, the products intended to be packaged are frequently fed along a plurality of U-shaped guides and are arranged on an edge in mutual contact. The products arranged on the edge are normally sent to packaging machines grouped in groups or blocks, each of which is formed by a plurality of products on the edge, in mutual contact along the respective main surfaces.

In packaging chains, the blocks may be composed according to a volumetric mode or according to a numerical mode. In volumetric mode, each block has a predetermined length and the number of products that constitute the blocks may vary. In the numerical mode of block formation, each block is formed by a predetermined number of products and the length of the blocks may vary. The volumetric loaders select a part with a constant length from the continuous formation of products at the entrance. The numerical loaders form the blocks by extracting a predetermined number of products from the continuous formation of products at the entrance.

EP-A-2634099 shows an example of a volumetric magazine. EP-A-1318089 discloses a loader in which batches of products are formed in predetermined amounts or lengths.

In the prior art, volumetric loaders and numerical loaders are essentially different machines from each other. This entails major problems when different types of products need to be packaged - according to the volumetric or numerical modes - using the same system. In the state of the art, to change the mode of formation of the blocks it is necessary to replace the loader or carry out considerable interventions to modify the structure of the loader.

Object and summary of the invention

The present invention is directed to providing an apparatus for forming groups of products that can be used to form blocks of products both in a volumetric mode and in a numerical mode.

In accordance with the present invention, this object is achieved by means of an apparatus for forming groups of products having the characteristics that constitute the subject matter of claim 1.

The claims form an integral part of the disclosure provided herein in connection with the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, offered simply by way of non-limiting example, in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for forming product groups according to the present invention,

- Figure 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale of a part indicated by arrow II in Figure

one,

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of a part of the apparatus of Figure 1 configured with guides for feeding products in volumetric mode,

- Figure 4 is a perspective view of a part of the apparatus of Figure 1 configured with guides for feeding products in the numerical mode,

- Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views illustrating, respectively, the guides for the feeding of products in the volumetric mode and the guides for the feeding of products in the numerical mode,

- Figure 7 is a perspective view of an extractor device indicated by arrow VII in Figure 4,

- Figures 8-10 are longitudinal sections illustrating some stages of the sequence of formation of ships in the volumetric mode,

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- Figure 11 is a plan view illustrating a stage of the block formation sequence in the numerical mode, and

- Figures 12 and 13 are partial perspective views illustrating a second embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention configured, respectively, in the volumetric mode and in the numerical mode.

Detailed description

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, numeral 10 indicates an apparatus for forming groups of products on an edge intended to be sent to a packaging machine. The apparatus 10 comprises a fixed support structure 12 incorporating a supply unit 14 configured to feed products over the edge along a plurality of parallel formations.

The apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of block forming devices 16, each of which is associated with a respective product formation of the supply unit 14. In Figure 2, only one block forming device 16 is illustrated to simplify the understanding of the drawing. The apparatus 10 is typically configured to feed a plurality of product formations over the edge to a plurality of block-forming devices 16. It should be understood that the present invention is applicable to apparatus in which the supply unit 14 has at least one product formation on the edge associated with at least one block forming device 16.

With reference to Figure 2, each block device 16 comprises two supports 18 fixed to a first crossbar 20. The first transverse bar 20 oscillates around a transverse geometric axis A to move the block-forming devices 16 between a position to receive the products and a position to release the blocks. In the position to receive the products, the block forming devices 16 are aligned with respective product feed formations of the supply unit 14. In the position for releasing the blocks, the block forming devices 16 are arranged to release the blocks on a lower conveyor.

Each block forming device 16 comprises two side walls 24 and two bottom walls 22 that can be opened. Each block forming device 16 has a closed configuration for receiving the products and an open configuration for releasing the products. A mechanism 26 controlled by a second cross bar 28 controls the movement of the bottom wall 22 of each block forming device 16 between the closed position and the open position.

Each block forming device 16 comprises a front stop member 30 fixed to a third cross bar 32. The third transverse bar 32 is removable along a longitudinal direction B to move the front stop elements 30 of the block forming devices 16 along the respective longitudinal directions indicated by arrow B.

The block-forming devices 16 of that illustrated in Figure 2, are known to those skilled in the art and have been widely used in apparatus for forming volumetric type blocks, produced and marketed by the same Applicant.

In accordance with the present invention, the supply unit 14 can be configured to perform block formation in the volumetric mode or in the numerical mode. For switching between the configuration of the block formation of the volumetric mode and the configuration of the block formation of the numerical mode, and vice versa, it is not necessary to modify either the structure or the operation of the block formation devices 16 .

According to a first embodiment of the present invention, in order to configure the supply unit 14 in the volumetric mode or in the numerical mode, a guide of the supply unit 14 is replaced. In Figure 5, reference 34V indicates a guide for feeding products in volumetric mode. In Figure 6, reference 34N indicates a guide for feeding products in numerical mode. The guides 34V, 34N, are interchangeable and can be installed on the support structure 12 of the apparatus 10, one instead of the other. Figures 3 and 4 show the supply unit 14 of the apparatus 10 configured with the volumetric feed guide 34V and, respectively, with the numerical feed guide 34N.

With reference to Figures 3 and 5, the volumetric guide 34V comprises a plurality of channels 36 each of which has a bottom wall and two side walls. The channels 36 are sized to guide the respective product formations P disposed on the edge. Each channel 36 has an output section 38 and an input section 40, which are offset from each other in a transverse direction. The output sections 38 of the channels 36 are open, so as not to obstruct the exit of the removable product formations P along the respective channels 36.

With reference to Figures 4 and 6, each numerical guide comprises a plurality of parallel channels 42, sized to guide respective product formations P disposed on the edge. Each channel 42

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it has an exit section 44 incorporating a front stop element 46 and a side stop element 48. The front stop element 46 prevents the displacement of the respective product formation P in the longitudinal direction. The side stop element 48 of each channel-shaped element 42 is offset laterally with respect to the respective side wall. The front stop element 46 and the side stop element 48 define an exit window for the products, which is displaced laterally with respect to the longitudinal geometric axis of the respective channel 42. In order to cross the exit window of the products, the products Individual P must be displaced transversely with respect to the longitudinal formation of products P arranged on the edge.

With reference to Figures 4 and 7, the supply unit 14 comprises a plurality of extractor devices 50 associated with the respective product formations P. The extractor devices 50 are only intended to be activated when the supply unit 14 is configured with the 34N numerical guide. Each extractor device 50 is configured to move the individual products P in a transverse direction to align the individual products with the exit window of the respective channel 42. With reference to Figure 7, each extractor device 50 comprises a pusher 52, removably shaped cyclic in a transverse direction C. The pusher 52 is supported by a removable carriage 54 in the transverse direction C along a guide 56 fixed to the support structure 12 of the supply unit 14. The carriage 54 cooperates with a thrust pin 58 supported by a transverse, removable rod cyclically along the transverse direction C. A helical traction spring 62 elastically pulls the carriage 54 towards a first position. The pin 58 of the crossbar 60 moves the carriage 54 to a second position. A blocking piston 64 allows the carriage 54 to be locked in the second position. During operation, the pusher 52 is cyclically displaced in the direction C between the first and the second positions and extracts a single product P of the respective formation for each stroke from the second position to the first position. During the extraction movement, each product P is pushed against the side stop element 48 and disengages from the front stop element 46. Each extractor device 50 can be temporarily deactivated when there are no products in the respective formation, by means of the blocking piston 64, which keeps the carriage 54 in the second position.

With reference to Figures 8-10, the supply unit 14 comprises a plurality of stop arms 66 associated with respective product formations P. Each stop arm 66 is removable between a raised position and a lowered position in front of the end 38 output of a respective channel 36.

Figures 8 to 10 illustrate the operation of the apparatus 10 in volumetric mode. To operate in this mode, the volumetric guides 34V are mounted on the support structure 12 of the supply unit 14. In operation in volumetric mode, the extractor devices are deactivated. The initial position of the block formation cycle (Figure 8), each block formation device 16 is empty and is aligned with the respective channel 36. The front stop element 30 of the block formation device 16 is in the advanced position and is located along the outlet end of the respective channel 36. The product formation P rests against the front stop element 30 of the respective block-forming device 16. Starting from the position of Figure 8, the front stop element 30 moves forward in the direction indicated by the arrow D. The formation of products P moves accordingly in the direction D. The products P arranged on the edge they enter into the respective block forming device 16.

With reference to Figure 9, when the front stop element 30 is in its forward limit position, a block S of products P is contained within the block-forming device 16. At this point, the stop arm 66 is moved into the lowered position to separate the block S from the continuous formation of products P contained in the channel 36.

Next, as shown in Figure 10, the block-forming device 16 is lowered and the bottom walls 22 are opened to deposit the block S on a lower conveyor 68. While the block-forming device 16 is lowered, the stop arm 66 is in the lowered position and prevents forward movement of the product formation P within the respective channel 36. After the block 36 has been deposited on the conveyor 68 lower, the block forming device 16 returns to the initial position and the stop arm 66 is raised to start a new cycle.

Figure 11 illustrates the operation of the apparatus 10 in the numerical mode. In this case, the numerical guide 34N is mounted on the support structure 12 of the supply unit 14 instead of the volumetric guide 34V. In this case, the extractor devices 50 are operative. The operation cycle of the block forming device 16 is identical to that of the volumetric mode of operation. When the block forming device 16 is in the raised position, the extractor device 50 extracts the individual products P from the continuous formation. The products P, displaced laterally with respect to the continuous formation are aligned with the respective block forming device 16. The products P advance in the block forming device 16 as they are gradually extended by the extractor device 50. In this case, a predetermined number of products P are inserted in the block forming device 16. When the predetermined number of products has been reached, the stop arm 66 is lowered and the block forming device 16 is lowered to deposit the block on the lower conveyor 68, in an identical manner to that described above with reference to the operation in Volumetric mode

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From the foregoing description, it is clear that, by simply replacing the volumetric guides 34V with the numerical guides 34n, or vice versa, the configuration of the apparatus 10 is modified from the operation in the volumetric mode to the operation in the numerical mode or vice versa. Thus, it is possible to package different types of products using the same system without the need to make significant modifications to the structure of the apparatus 10.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, the supply unit 14 can be configured in the volumetric mode or in the numerical mode by moving some components of the guide between a volumetric feeding position and a numerical feeding position. In this case, the replacement of the guides as in the case described above is not carried out.

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate a possible example of this second embodiment. The elements corresponding to those described above are indicated with the same reference numerals.

With reference to Figures 12 and 13, the supply unit 14 comprises a guide 70 comprising at least one channel 72 for feeding products arranged at the edge. In Figures 12 and 13 - to simplify the representation - only one channel 72 has been illustrated but, in general, the guide 70 has a number of channels 72 equal to the number of product formations, and equal to the number of the devices 16 of block formation

Each channel 72 is sized to guide a respective formation of products arranged on the edge and has a fixed bottom wall 74 with respect to the fixed support structure 12. Each channel 72 has an outlet section 76 incorporating a front stop element 78 oriented transversely with respect to the longitudinal geometric axis of the channel 72, and a side stop element 80 oriented parallel to the longitudinal geometric axis of the channel 72. The elements 78, 80 butt are fixed on the bottom wall 74.

Each channel 72 comprises two side walls 82, 84 that guide the removable products along the channel 72. The space between the side walls 82 defines a guide section for the products. The side walls 82 are removable between a volumetric configuration illustrated in Figure 12 and a numerical configuration illustrated in Figure 13.

In the volumetric configuration of the guide 70, the guide section between the side walls 82 is displaced laterally with respect to the front stop element 78. Thus, the front stop element 78 does not obstruct the exit of the removable product formations along the channel 72. In the volumetric configuration of the guide 70, the operation of the apparatus 10 is identical to the operation of the apparatus of the first embodiment configured with the 34V volumetric guide. In this case, the extractor device 50 is deactivated.

In the numerical configuration of the guide 70, the front stop element 78 is located within the guide section between the side walls 82 and prevents the displacement of the respective product formation in the longitudinal direction. The side stop element 80 is displaced laterally outwardly in relation to the respective side wall.

In the numerical configuration of the guide 70, the operation of the apparatus 10 is identical to the operation of the apparatus of the first embodiment configured with the numerical guide 34N. In this case, the extractor device 50 is active and the pusher 52 is cyclically removable in the transverse direction C. In each stroke into the pusher 52, a product from the continuous formation of products on the edge is extracted.

In a variant of the present invention, the guide 70 could incorporate fixed side walls 82. In this case, the stop elements 78, 80 would be removable in the transverse direction between a volumetric configuration and a numerical configuration. In this case, the block-forming devices must be moved in the transverse direction to keep these block-forming devices aligned by the geometric output axis of the products of the respective guides 72 both in the volumetric configuration and in the numerical configuration. of guide 70.

Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the construction details and the embodiments can be widely modified with respect to those described and illustrated, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the subsequent claims.

Claims (8)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 1. - Device for forming groups of products (P) on an edge, which comprises: - a supply unit (14) configured to feed at least one continuous formation of products (P) on the edge, and - at least one block forming device (16) arranged to receive successive groups of products (P) on the edge of said supply unit (14), in which said supply unit (14) can be configured to feed the products (P) to said block forming device (16) in a volumetric mode or in a numerical mode, characterized in that said supply unit (14) comprises an extractor device (50) operable to extract individual products (P) from said continuous formation of products (P) on the edge when the supply unit (14) is configured to feed the products (P) in the numerical mode, and in which the apparatus comprises a volumetric guide (34V) and a numerical guide ( 34N) interchangeable with each other and selectively installable on the supply unit (14), one instead of the other. 2. - Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said volumetric guide (34V) has at least one channel (36) having an output section (38) and an input section (40), displaced from each other in cross direction. 3. - Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said numerical guide (34N) comprises at least one channel (42) having an output section (44) comprising a front stop element (46) and an element (48) of lateral stop, which define an exit window for the products, displaced laterally with respect to the longitudinal geometric axis of the channel (42). 4. Device according to claim 1, comprising a guide (70) including at least one channel (72) having a bottom wall, a front stop element (78), a stop element (80) side and two side walls (82), wherein said side walls are removable between a volumetric configuration and a numerical configuration. 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a guide (70) including at least one channel (72) having a bottom wall, a front stop element (78), a stop element (80) side and a pair of side walls (82), in which the front stop element (78) and the side stop element (80) are removable between a volumetric configuration and a numerical configuration. 6. - Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said extractor device (50) comprises a removable thrust element (52) in the transverse direction (C), said thrust element (52) being elastically requested towards a first position and being pushed towards a second position by a removable cross bar (60) in a cyclic manner in a transverse direction. 7. - Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said pushing element (52) can be locked in said second position by means of a locking piston (64). 8. - Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said block forming device (16) is cyclically removable between an elevated position in which it is aligned with the respective guide (34v, 34N, 70 ) and a lowered position to deposit the block on a lower conveyor (68).