Equipment for assembling products such as packages for compact discs

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6594969
  • Patent Number
    6,594,969
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, July 18, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 22, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
Apparatus for assembling products including at lest one rigid thin part of a first type (in particular a compact disc tray) glued on a plane part of a second type (in particular a casing formed by a pre-cut cardboard matrix), including at least one suction belt for carrying the planar parts of the second type, at least one loader for feeding a gripping device with the parts of the first type and at least one gripping device comprising a turntable turning around a transversal axis parallel to the tray, the turntable supporting a plurality of sucker supports for gripping the parts of the first type and depositing them on the parts of the second type, characterized in that the sucker support has a configuration able to ensure displacement of the sucker corresponding to a degree of freedom in translation parallel to a single radial axis only.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to the field of machines intended for the assembly of products such as packages. In particular, the invention concerns machines for assembling packages formed by glueing several complementary parts, generally rigid or semi-rigid plane parts. One of the parts is generally formed by a cut-out cardboard matrix, and folded during the manufacturing phase or after assembly.




BACKGROUND




In the prior art, equipment is described in French Patent FR 2664883. This equipment is adapted for setting semi-rigid windows on a cardboard matrix. On the other hand, it is not adapted to setting a rigid part on a cardboard matrix, since the gripping movement of the part coming from a feeder produces slight deformation unacceptable in the case of rigid parts.




The problem posed is to allow rigid articles to be unstacked and then deposited on a support such as a cardboard matrix, using rapid and reliable equipment.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to apparatus for assembling products which includes at least one substantially rigid thin first part glued on a substantially planar second part, including at least one suction pad for carrying the planar second part, at least one loader for feeding a gripping device with the first part, and at least one gripping device including a turntable rotating about a transverse axis substantially parallel to the tray, the turntable supporting a plurality of suction supports for gripping the first part and depositing the first part on the second part, wherein the suction support has a configuration which ensures displacement of a sucker corresponding to a degree of freedom in translation parallel to a single radial axis only.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The invention will be better understood by reading the description of a non-limiting example of embodiment given below, referring to the diagrams in the appendix in which:





FIG. 1

shows a front view of equipment according to the invention;





FIG. 2

shows a side view of the equipment of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

shows a rear view of the equipment of

FIG. 1

; and





FIGS. 4

to


9


show detailed views of the turntable at consecutive stages.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




It will be appreciated that the following description is intended to refer to specific embodiments of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings and is not intended to define or limit the invention, other than in the appended claims.




In its most general form, the invention relates to a piece of equipment for assembling products comprising at least one rigid thin part of a first type (in particular, a compact disc tray) glued on a planar part of a second type (in particular, a casing formed by a pre-cut cardboard matrix), comprising at least one suction belt for carrying the planar parts of the second type, at least one loader for feeding a gripping device with parts of the first type, and at least one gripping device comprising a turntable turning around a transverse axis parallel to the tray, the turntable supporting a plurality of suction supports for gripping the parts of the first type and depositing them on the parts of the second type, characterized in that the suction support has a configuration able to ensure displacement of the suction corresponding to a degree of freedom in translation parallel to a single radial axis.




Such equipment is intended especially for assembling compact disc casings, formed by a folded cardboard matrix and a tray in molded or thermoformed plastic with a recess for placing a CD.




According to a preferred embodiment, the suction support comprises a rigid connecting rod with one end mobile in translation around an axis parallel to a radial axis, relative to a guide rotationally free relative to the turntable, and whose other end is mobile in rotation relative to an oscillating drive arm. According to an advantageous variant, the drive arm is controlled by a motor in an oscillatory movement relative to a closely radial median position.




Advantageously, the turntable is driven according to a rotary movement at a closely constant speed. Preferably, the speed of rotation of the turntable is a slave in function of the relative position of the part of the second type and the part of the first type in a detection zone comprised between the loader and the deposit zone. According to a preferred variant, the turntable comprises a plurality of suction supports.




According to a particular embodiment, the equipment comprises a coaxial drive crown with the turntable, the crown ensuring the oscillation of the drive arms. According to a variant, it comprises at least one first feeder for taking a first rigid article and at least one second feeder for taking a second article, the two feeders being offset angularly relative to the turntable.




Advantageously, the first feeder is intended to receive articles (for example, compact discs) intended to be inserted into the second articles (for example, trays for compact discs).




According to another variant, it comprises a plurality of parallel assemblies each comprising a belt and a turntable provided with suction supports, as well as at least one loader.




According to a further variant, the turntables provided with suction supports are offset longitudinally.




Turning now to the drawings in general and

FIGS. 1-3

in particular, the equipment described as a non-limiting example comprises a frame


1


supporting a conveyor belt


2


set on a suction inlet box.




This belt


2


is supplied by feeders


3


on which pre-cut cardboard matrixes are piled. The equipment comprises gluing stations using methods known in the prior art,


4


and


5


, as well as a plurality of deposit stations,


6


to


8


.




The deposit stations each comprise a turntable,


9


to


11


, offset longitudinally. The deposit stations will be described in more detail with reference to

FIGS. 4

to


9


. They comprise a turntable


9


driven by a motorized rotation shaft


12


. This turntable, in the example described, supports three suction supports


13


(to aid understanding, the Figs. only show one of these supports).




The suction support


13


comprises:




a rigid connecting rod


14


;




an oscillating drive arm


15


; and




a guide


16


mounted in free rotation relative to the shaft


12


and the turntable


9


.




The rigid connecting rod


14


is generally ā€œLā€ shaped with a cylindrical rod


20


and an extension


21


at right angles. The rod


20


slides in a linear bearing mounted in a guide


16


which can pivot freely relative to the turntable


9


.




The rod


20


extends along a direction closely parallel to a radial axis passing along the principal axis


12


and the drive shaft


23


of the oscillating arm


21


. The right-angled extension


21


of the connecting rod


14


'supports a sucker


17


whose suction axis is substantially parallel to the rod


20


.




The right-angled extension


21


of the connecting rod


14


is linked to the drive arm


15


by a pivot


22


. This arm


15


is integral with a shaft


23


driven by a motorized assembly


24


. This assembly provokes oscillating movement of the arms


15


.





FIG. 4

shows the turntable at the moment of gripping a rigid part. In this position, the sucker


17


has a bearing surface substantially parallel to the surface of the article to be gripped, in this case a vertical surface. The sucker


17


is in its maximum extension position, the distance between the bearing surface


28


of the sucker and the central shaft


12


being at the maximum.





FIGS. 5 and 6

show the turntable after rotations through several degrees. The oscillating arm


21


is driven rotationally in the direction opposite to that of the main turntable


9


to compensate for the effect of rotation of the main turntable


9


, and to keep the bearing surface


28


parallel to the surface of the rigid parts. The addition of these two rotational movements results in a centripetal linear displacement of the sucker


17


, which carries the gripped rigid part following a linear displacement. In this way, tilting of this rigid part is avoided.




When the sucker is in a position close to the central axis


12


as shown in

FIG. 6

, the pivoting of the arm


21


stops, and then the direction of rotation is reversed, which provokes tilting of the sucker


17


, as shown in FIG.


7


.




The arm


21


takes on a radial position as shown in

FIG. 9

when the rigid part comes into contact with the cardboard matrix.




The equipment can be adapted to allow a compact disc to be gripped coming from a first loader, and then the compact disc is supported as far as the thermoformed tray coming from the second loader, the assembly then being applied to the cardboard matrix for gluing.




The speed of rotation of the turntable and/or the suction belt can be adjusted as a function of a control signal received from a detector of the passage of the rigid part. In the event of a time lag of passage in relation to a reference, the turntable and/or belt are accelerated or slowed to compensate for the time lag.



Claims
  • 1. Apparatus for assembling a product which includes at least one substantially rigid thin first part glued on a substantially planar second part, comprising:at least one suction pad for carrying the planar second part; at least one loader for feeding a gripping device with the first part; and at least one gripping device comprising a turntable rotating about a transverse axis substantially parallel to a tray, the turntable supporting a plurality of suction supports for gripping the first part and depositing the first part on the second part, wherein the suction support has a configuration which ensures displacement of a sucker corresponding to a degree of freedom in translation parallel to a single radial axis only.
  • 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the suction support comprises a rigid connecting rod with one end mobile in translation along an axis substantially parallel to a radial axis, relative to a guide in free rotation relative to the turntable, and with another end mobile in rotation relative to an oscillating drive arm.
  • 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drive arm is controlled by a motor in oscillating movement relative to a closely radial median position.
  • 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the turntable is driven according to a rotational movement at a substantially constant speed.
  • 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the speed of rotation of the turntable is a slave to the relative position of the second part and the first part in a detection zone formed between the feeder and the deposit zone.
  • 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the turntable comprises a plurality of suction supports.
  • 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the turntable has a coaxial drive crown, said crown ensuring oscillation of the drive arms.
  • 8. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising at least one first feeder for gripping a first rigid article and at least one second feeder for gripping a second article, the two feeders being offset angularly relative to the turntable.
  • 9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first feeder receives articles for insertion into the second articles.
  • 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of parallel assemblies, each assembly comprising a pad and a turntable provided with suction supports, as well as at least one loader.
  • 11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the turntables provided with suction supports are longitudinally offset.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
00 09686 Jul 2000 FR
US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
5019207 McCoy May 1991 A
5163271 Pan et al. Nov 1992 A
5285620 Kaye et al. Feb 1994 A
5910078 Guttinger et al. Jun 1999 A
5943845 Ilsemann Aug 1999 A
6048158 Zaniboni Apr 2000 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number Date Country
34 07 220 Aug 1985 DE
198 45 384 Apr 2000 DE