Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6783317
-
Patent Number
6,783,317
-
Date Filed
Thursday, November 14, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, August 31, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 414 7881
- 414 7884
- 414 7889
- 414 7903
- 414 7907
-
International Classifications
- B65B3550
- B65G5700
- B65H2900
- B65H3134
- B65H3130
-
Abstract
A machine for building a stack of stiff flat articles comprises an input device for feed of a horizontal flow of flat articles in an overlapping shingled relationship and travelling in a first direction, a pusher mechanism for engaging with a side of one of the flat articles and for driving a plurality of flat articles into a vertical stack at a first location. The pusher mechanism comprises a carriage device for movement in the first direction, a bottom-pusher mechanism mounted on the carriage and a top-pusher mechanism mounted on the carriage. The machine further comprises a control device for controlling movements of the bottom or top or bottom pusher mechanisms such that, if the horizontal flow of articles is top-stacked, the bottom pusher mechanism engages a side of one of the flat articles and drives a plurality of the flat articles into the vertical stack, and if the horizontal flow of articles is under-stacked, the top-pusher mechanism at least pushes off a plurality of flat articles to for the vertical stack.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to forming a plurality of flat, stiff articles such as flat-folded boxes flowing as a stream of overlapping shingled flat articles, into a stack, more particularly to a method and a device for automatically doing so as well as a device for counting the number of flat articles formed into the stack.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the production of corrugated boxes, corrugated board produced at a corrugated machine is cut and converted into blanks of a desired shape, which are then may be printed or surface finished in some other way. Thereafter, the blanks are flat-folded and glued to form boxes, in a machine commonly known as a folder-gluer machine.
At the outlet of a folder-gluer machine, individual flat-folded and glued boxes are stacked in an overlapping shingled relationship, either in under-stacking or in top-stacking. Under-stacking means that there is a preceding box and a subsequent box, each with a leading edge and a trailing edge (seen in the direction of movement on a moving mechanism such as a conveyor belt), the preceding box being deposited on the moving mechanism before the subsequent box, and whereby the leading edge of the subsequent box is deposited on said moving mechanism under the trailing edge of said preceding box. Top-stacking means that there is a preceding box and a subsequent box, each with a leading edge and a trailing edge again, the preceding box being deposited on the moving mechanism before the subsequent box, whereby the leading edge of the subsequent box is deposited on the moving mechanism on top of the trailing edge of the preceding box.
This shingled flow is moved on between drying pressing belts to be pressed together well and to give sufficient glue drying time, in order to prevent unfolding of the boxes before their glue sets. After leaving the drying pressing belt, generally controlled packets, comprising one or more stacks made in a packeting machine from this flow of shingled individual boxes, are supplied to a strapping machine or strapping section, in order finally to be stacked neatly by a palletising station.
To achieve stable stacking on a pallet, the individual packets should have the same dimension and all opposing sides of the packets must be parallel with each other. Therefore the packeting machine should always make a stack having the same number of individual flat-folded boxes, should align these and where applicable compensate for any angled sides by placing another stack rotated through 180° or another suitable angle (e.g. 90°) on the top, thus forming a packet. This block-like packet is then offered in a way ready positioned for the strapping machine.
In recent years suppliers of machines for handling corrugated cardboard have made significant innovations, especially in the field of folder-gluer machines, which have become considerably faster and more flexible in formats and types of boxes they can handle. The set-up time of such machines has become low and thus also allows profitability in small series. As always, the weakest link in the chain determines the profitability, and this weakest link is at present the packeting machine or packer installation which is still labour-intensive, and restricted in processing of box formats and types. Apparently, development of the subsequent machines (such as e.g. the packeting machine) has lagged behind despite the fact that investment already made for the folder-gluer machines would normally justify further optimisation of the line. These needs have led some machine manufacturers trying to fulfil demand. Unfortunately, known designs do not meet the range of products and format differences, the requirements due to the existing short set-up time, the restricted installation space and, last but not least, the price.
By increasing the production speed of the folder-gluer machines (to more than 15,000 boxes per hour), an extremely dynamic system is required for the packeting machine, to the extent that now the outer limit of present servo-technology is reached. The flexibility in product dimensions and forms further increases the degree of difficulty of forming packets from a continuously supplied stream of flat-folded boxes. The fact that under-stacking is now used more and more, and that the new folder-gluer machines allow this, means that a special approach is required for forming stacks out of the shingled flow, without neglecting the more traditional form of stacking, known as top-stacking.
Different mechanisms already used to separate individual flat-folded boxes to form a stack have been investigated:
1. Individual acceleration of boxes, which are then pushed under each other to form a stack, or which are dropped on top of each other, thus forming a stack.
2. Acceleration at the lower edge of some of the shingled boxes, which together will form a stack, and dropping them on top of each other one at a time in a catchment tray at a lower level.
3. Insertion of a separation finger in a stack where separation must occur and forward movement of a bridge, where the packet is located straight against an upright stop plate. An example of this has been described e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,104.
4. Both accelerating the lower edge and the top edge of shingled boxes, and allowing the boxes to fall into a catchment tray below.
5. Obliquely stacked boxes are raised and allowed to fall individually into a catchment tray where they can fall further as a stack after being counted.
All of these solutions present the disadvantage that either the flat-folded boxes must be presented to the packeting machine on a one by one basis, or the continuous shingled flow has to be stopped, which solutions both slow down the handling.
Furthermore, corrugated cardboard boxes are not always rectangular in structure in a flat-folded state (e.g. locking bottom) and/or are not always glued symmetrically (e.g. an automatic-bottom box has, in flat-folded form, five thicknesses of cardboard where the bottom of the box lies, while it has only two thicknesses of cardboard where the top of the box lies). As a result, a number of boxes pushed onto each other in the same direction, forms a stack with the top side misaligned. Hence, when the boxes are stacked for handling or storage, the stack that is formed will have a tendency to topple if all packs of boxes are stacked in the same direction. To make such a stack into a block, it is known to rotate a second stack through 180° in the vertical or horizontal plane. This is called compensation. Depending on the product form, the packet thus formed is more or less unstable (due to accordion movement).
To compensate for the stacks and eliminate misalignment due to oblique sides, various mechanisms are known.
1. A stack of boxes is manually rotated over 180° and placed on top of a stack of boxes previously formed.
2. The boxes fall on a catchment plate and form a stack. This plate is fitted longitudinally in the centre of a drum, the stack stays still and the drum rotates through 180° about its longitudinal axis so that the lower edge of the catchment plate is now on the top. The following stack-forming series of boxes falls onto this. A pusher on the side edge presses the two stacks out of the drum simultaneously so that they fall onto each other and together form a compensated packet.
3. A type of carousel turns in the horizontal plane (like a merry-go-round). On four sides (2 by 2 opposite each other) arms are attached on the outside. On these arms is mounted a finger system, between which a stack can be clamped. The stack is held firmly on two opposing sides by the finger system. The held stack can be rotated about its horizontal axis through 180°. The carousel always turns 90° further on each cycle, after two cycles the stack is again deposited and left. In this way unturned and turned stacks are placed on each other, thus forming a compensated packet.
4. A type of carousel turns in the vertical plane (like a windmill). On four sides (2 by 2 opposite each other) are attached arms at the outside. Attached to these arms is a clamping system. When a packet is pushed between these clamps (lying on one of the horizontal vanes) the carousel rotates through 90° (vane is at the top). In this position the clamping system turns about its vertical axis. The carousel turns through a further 90° (horizontal again) and pushes its load on top of an unturned stack already present.
Another embodiment of this turning in the vertical plane is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,202, whereby two box receiving stations are located in vertically spaced planes. Means are provided for turning over a stack of folded boxes deposited in a first station and deposit it in a second station on top of a stack of flat-folded boxes already deposited there.
All these ways of compensating for non-planar stacks, show the disadvantage that compensation either takes a lot of time, or needs a lot of space.
Extra attention must furthermore be paid to the set-up problem. There is an increasing trend towards having less stock. This means that a manufacturer of cardboard boxes gets orders for smaller amounts of boxes to be supplied. As the manufacturer also wants to have a small stock, smaller production series must be made economic. Therefore, modern production machines have small set-up times and maximum output, and all this preferably automated. Manufacturers of folder-gluer machines have made advances towards handling of all kinds of boxes at very high speed. These folder-gluer machines can only have maximum efficiency if the subsequent machines, such as a packeting machine, can also handle the same kinds of boxes at the same high speeds.
It is an aim of the present invention to overcome the problems mentioned above, and to provide a machine which fulfils the market demands as fully as possible. In order to achieve this, the machine should preferably be able to process high throughputs very dynamically and to offer a very flexible system.
It is an aim of the present invention to meet one or more of the following requirements:
The system should be able to output one packet every 5 seconds.
The proposed dimensions are minimum 180 mm×180 mm and maximum 1400 mm×1400 mm.
The system should be able to process the widest possible variety of product forms. This means that compensation of the packets must be possible.
Top- and under-stacking problems should also be handled.
The packets should be guided at all times to prevent unstable packets.
The manual settings should be reduced to a minimum and kept simple so that the total set-up time is always less than 10 minutes.
It is in particular an aim of the present invention to provide a method and a device for making stable packets of flat-folded boxes out of a continuous flow of flat-folded boxes in an overlapping shingled relationship, without stopping the continuous flow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above objectives are accomplished by a machine for production of a stack of stiff flat articles such as flat-folded boxes according to the present invention. The machine comprises an input device for feeding a horizontal flow of stiff flat articles, such as flat-folded boxes in an overlapping shingled relationship, a pusher mechanism for engaging with a side of one of the flat articles and for driving a plurality of flat articles into a vertical stack at a first location, and a transferring device for lifting the stack and transferring it to a second location. The transferring device is adapted to rotate the stack through a predetermined angle between lifting the stack at the first location and transferring it to the second location; preferably the rotation is done about a vertical axis.
According to the present invention, the movement of the pusher mechanism may be controlled in time and place, e.g. by software-based control system, by a hydraulic or pneumatic control system, or, for instance by a control actuator which may be manually operated. Preferably, a control device is provided, such as a computer, a PC, a PLC, an FPGA or any other suitable programmable control device. Preferably the pusher mechanism is actuated so as to make a movement towards the first location which is accelerated with regard to the movement of he horizontal flow of flat-folded boxes. Preferably, it receives a suitable signal or signals from the control device to control the time of starting, the rate of acceleration and when the acceleration should stop. The movement of the pusher mechanism may be controlled in its place or location or in its extent of movement in accordance with a dimension of the flat-folded boxes to be stacked, i.e. the thicker the flat-folded boxes to be stacked, the higher the pusher mechanism will move. This movement is done in accordance with suitable signals received from the control device.
The pusher mechanism may include a bottom-pusher mechanism, which is used in case of top-stacking of the flat-folded boxes, and/or a top-pusher mechanism, which is used in case of under-stacking of the flat-folded boxes. Preferably, both a bottom-pusher mechanism and a top-pusher mechanism are provided on one and the same machine, such that both kinds of shingled flows can be treated with the same machine.
Making a stack out of flat-folded boxes in an overlapping shingled relationship instead of first having to deliver the flat-folded boxes one by one, makes the handling thereof a lot faster compared to previously known machines.
A machine according to the present invention presents short simple set-up times with little but easily accessible safe controls. Flexible means processing of corrugated cardboard boxes in the broadest sense of the word: {fraction (4/6)}-point glued boxes are meant thereby, long seams and crash-lock bottom with widely varying dimensions and forms. Modularity is obtained by dividing the machine into three basic processing units.
The function cycle of the machine per station may be as follows:
The boxes are presented from the drying pressing belt of the folder-gluer to a packeting machine in shingled form. They are counted piece by piece and when reaching a preset quantity they are separated from the rest by an accelerated movement. The stack being formed comes to rest against a stop plate. The first part is called a counter packet collector.
In certain types of boxes a compensation is needed to achieve an easily processable bundle or packet. This is achieved by positioning a first layer (stack) and rotating a second or compensating layer (stack) through −90°, +90′ or 180° before placing it on the first layer. This rotation/compensation system preferably comprises a four-axis portal robot with gripper arms.
Once the (compensated) bundle or packet is formed, it can be aligned in an output tunnel. The output tunnel consists of a set of side plates and pushers which move the packet and position it e.g. in a subsequent strapping machine.
The present invention also includes a method for production of a stack of stiff flat articles such as flat-folded boxes, which method comprises the following steps: feeding of a horizontal flow of flat articles in an overlapping shingled relationship; forming of a first stack from a plurality of flat articles at a first location; lifting of the stack and transfer of this to a second location, whereby the stack optionally is rotated through a predetermined angle about a vertical axis between the lifting of the stack at the first location and its transfer to the second location.
The present invention may also provide a counting system for counting flat articles moving in a continuous shingled stream, the system comprising: a fixedly mounted guiding element (
23
a
) with a runner (
23
b
) for running up the moving shingled stream of flat articles (
90
), and a rotation encoder connected to the runner.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention may be seen from the following description of a specific embodiment of the method and installation for stacking flat-folded boxes according to the invention; this description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a schematic top view of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprising an input section, a portal robot rotation system, a drop-off unit, and an output section.
FIG. 2
is a cross-sectional vertical view of the input section and the portal robot rotation system according to line II-II′ in FIG.
1
.
FIGS. 3A-3D
are schematic views of different positions of a bottom pusher mechanism during operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 4A-4D
show different steps a device for making a stack of flat-folded boxes has to carry out according to a first embodiment of the present invention, whereby the flat-folded boxes are fed in topstacking.
FIGS. 5A-5E
show different steps a device for making a stack of flat-folded boxes has to carry out according to a second embodiment of the present invention, whereby the flat-folded boxes are fed in topstacking.
FIGS. 6A-6D
show different steps a device for making a stack of flat-folded boxes has to carry out according to a third embodiment of the present invention, whereby the flat-folded boxes are fed in understacking.
FIGS. 7A-7F
show different steps a rotation/compensation system has to carry out for moving a stack of boxes from a first location towards a second location, according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 8A-8E
show different steps a rotation/compensation system has to carry out for moving a stack of boxes from a first location towards a second location, according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9
shows in detail some of the moving parts of the input section in accaordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10
is a detailed view of the gripper head of the portal robot system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In the different figures, the same reference figures refer to the same or analogous elements.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. The technology needed to realise the various components represented in the drawings is well understood in the delivery systems industry. Many individual structural elements, disclosed in one form, can be embodied in other forms with equivalent operational results. For example, belt systems can be operationally equivalent to roller systems. Actuators can operate electrically or pneumatically. Mechanical systems can be direct-driven by electric motors, or driven remotely through belts and pulleys and activated by electrically or mechanically operated clutches. In the figures some of the support structures are schematically represented, and some are not shown at all to permit a clearer view of the operational elements. Design of such structure is within the capabilities of a competent equipment designer.
A machine
10
for building a packet of flat-folded packing boxes
90
is represented schematically in
FIG. 1
, and comprises the following major parts:
an input section
15
comprising an input feed
1
and a carriage construction
2
, for providing a horizontal stream of flat-folded boxes
90
in an overlapping shingled relationship,
a pusher mechanism
3
for engaging with a side of one of the flat-folded boxes
90
and for driving a plurality of the flat-folded boxes
90
into a vertical stack
100
at a first location,
a transferring device, such as a portal robot system
4
, for lifting the stack
100
and transferring it to a second location
6
, the transferring device
4
being adapted to rotate the stack
100
through a predetermined angle between lifting the stack
100
and transferring it to the second location
6
,
a drop-off point
6
for allowing a packet
200
to be assembled from one or a plurality of stacks
100
, and for allowing the packet
200
to be moved to an output section
16
, and
an output section
16
comprising an output tunnel
7
for aligning the packet
200
and positioning it for a strapping device
8
, and the strapping device
8
itself.
Each of those major parts will be separately described hereinafter.
1. Input Section
15
A shingled stream of flat-folded boxes
90
comes from a pressing band into a counter/stacker machine
10
of
FIG. 1
at the input feed
1
, and the boxes
90
are therefrom moved on e.g. by synchronous belt transport.
FIG. 2
shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the input section
15
and the portal robot system
4
, according to the line II-II′ in FIG.
1
.
At the input feed
1
, flat-folded boxes
90
(not represented in
FIG. 2
) are transported at working level
21
, which generally is above floor level
22
, under a driven top guide and between side guide plates or a side guide frame
95
(represented in FIG.
9
).
The boxes
90
are counted piece by piece by a counting system
23
, possibly both at the bottom and top edges of the shingled stream. When a pre-set quantity is counted, the subsequent steps are determined by the method of stacking (top-stacking or under-stacking) of the flat-folded boxes
90
fed in. The counting system
23
used may be any kind of counting system known by a person skilled in the art. However, counting of the shingled boxes
90
in both top-stacking and under-stacking is preferably performed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Counting in both cases may be performed by the same mechanism, the principle of which is based on measurement of a linear movement. In the case represented in
FIG. 2
, this is done by a light-weight vertically fixed mounted linear guide
23
a
with a runner
23
b
at the bottom which runs up the moving shingled stream of flat-folded boxes
90
. The linear guide
23
a
is coupled by means of a plastic rack and pinion (e.g. module 0.5) combination with a rotation encoder (not represented) with resolution of e.g. 1000 pulses per rotation. The runner
23
b
is pushed up by the moving stream of shingled boxes
90
. The value of the pulses depends on the vertical position of the runner
23
b
. As each box
90
in the shingled stream is always a significant threshold, after filtering and interpretation, each single box
90
in the shingled stream can be distinguished, and hence counted, with a high degree of certainty.
The output from the rotation encoder is read by a fast counter input of a control device, e.g. a PLC, where the signal is filtered and interpreted before being passed as an actual counted box. For part of the path travelled by the boxes
90
, pulse deviations are disregarded (the signal is blinded). This relates to the travelled path of the shingled stream as the boxes
90
are always overlapped by a more or less constant value. For top-stacking, values smaller than the previous one (pulses) are ignored. For under-stacking, values larger than the previous one (pulses) are ignored.
On a sudden rise in pulses, at a subsequent measurement, a minimum quantity (threshold) must have risen in case of top-stacking. On a sudden fall in pulses, at a subsequent measurement, a minimum quantity (threshold) must have fallen in case of under-stacking.
The counting itself is performed at the input feed
1
. To present the shingled stream of boxes
90
properly controlled to the counting mechanism
23
, also mechanically a few interventions can be carried out in the preferred embodiment described. The part of the feed from the input feed
1
to the pusher
3
may have in the centre a set of extra transport belts with improved grip (not represented).
Above the shingled stream, also a synchronously driven top guide
29
is provided to move the shingled stream of boxes
90
tightly pressed together past the rest position or home position of the carriage construction
2
. This top guide
29
is preferably connected mechanically to the belt transport of the device
10
. Alternatively, the top guide may receive suitable signals from a control device in order to move synchronously with the belt transport of the device
10
.
The shingled stream of flat-folded boxes
90
, transported on by the belt transport, moves between the bottom and top parts of the carriage construction
2
. The carriage construction, represented in detail in
FIG. 9
, comprises at least one guide, preferably two guides
26
, and possibly more guides, for carrying a carriage
25
which can run on the guides
26
in the direction of and opposite the movement of the shingled flow of flat-folded boxes
90
, being the direction indicated as “x” in the drawings. The carriage
25
may be provided with a plate or a platform, or it may be a frame construction. The pusher mechanism
3
is mounted on the carriage
25
and forms part of the carriage construction
2
. Said pusher mechanism
3
may comprise a bottom pusher
3
a
and/or a top pusher
3
b
. Even if both a bottom pusher
3
a
and a top pusher
3
b
are mounted at the same time on the carriage
25
, only one of the bottom pusher
3
a
or top pusher
3
b
are used at any one moment in time, depending on whether the flat-folded boxes
90
are fed in under-stacking or in top-stacking. The choice of which of bottom pusher
3
a
or top pusher
3
b
is to be driven, is set by an operator, and suitable driving signals, coming from a control device, are sent accordingly to the bottom pusher
3
a
or to the top pusher
3
b
. The bottom pusher
3
a
has moving parts drivable in the vertical direction, i.e. in a direction 90° to the plane in which the shingled stream of boxes
90
moves, being along the z-axis in the drawings. The top pusher
3
b
also has moving parts drivable in the vertical direction, i.e. in a direction 90° to the plane in which the shingled stream of boxes
90
moves, being along the z-axis in the drawings. If the carriage
25
moves in the x-direction, both the bottom pusher
3
a
and the top pusher
3
b
will move with it in the x-direction. The bottom pusher
3
a
and the top pusher
3
b
can furthermore carry out, at the same time as the movement in the x-direction, a movement in the z-direction, which movement is independent or in a pre-set relationship to the movement in the x-direction. Appropriate signals for the vertical movement are sent by a control device.
The entire carriage construction
2
can be moved in the direction of and opposite the movement of the shingled stream of boxes
90
, i.e. in the direction of both arrows A and B in FIG.
2
. The carriage
25
may e.g. be driven by two toothed belts which run over a pulley with a diameter of e.g. 125.45 mm and a servomotor
94
. The carriage construction
2
itself is preferably an aluminium construction with an estimated total weight of 380 kg. It has a fixed home reference (starting position) at location P
1
, given by an inductive switch. End-of-run inductive switches are also provided. As a mechanical protection, hydraulic shock absorbers are fitted. A front stop position of the carriage
25
, being a stop position at a location P
2
in the neighbourhood of the portal robot system
4
, is calculated by a control device, e.g. a PLC program, from product format data, and is passed to the control device of the motor
94
of the carriage construction
2
. Information is preferably exchanged between the control device such as a PLC, and the motor control by Profibus, a vendor-independent family of fieldbus, device-level, and cell controller protocols for use in manufacturing and building automation as well as process control, standardised under the European Fieldbus Standard EN 50 170. It utilises a non-powered two-wire (RS485) network.
A synchronous servo motor
94
preferably drives the carriage
25
. It is preferably designed with a resolver so that this always gives its position via feedback. It is possible to use the servo control as a pressure protection for the stop plates
30
so that the motor
94
stops when the cardboard exerts too much pressure on the stop plates
30
. This is a protection against incorrect electronic format setting. The motor
94
is also fitted with an external brake so it can be held in its start position (home reference) at location P
1
.
In
FIG. 4A
, the carriage construction
2
is in its starting position P
1
.
2. Pusher Mechanism
3
According to an embodiment of the present invention, two different pusher mechanisms
3
are provided: a bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
for use in case the shingled boxes
90
are fed in with top-stacking, and a top pusher mechanism
3
b
for use in case the shingled boxes
90
are fed in with under-stacking.
The bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
as well as different embodiments of the use thereof are described with respect to
FIGS. 3A-3D
,
FIGS. 4A-4D
and
FIGS. 5A-5E
. The top pusher mechanism
3
b
and an embodiment of the use thereof is described with respect to
FIGS. 6A-6D
.
A first embodiment of the use of a bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
is described in
FIGS. 4A-4D
. The bottom pusher
3
a
is built in in the construction of the carriage
25
. It is a part movable vertically separately from the movement of the carriage
25
. This vertical movement is carried out driven by suitable signals received from a control unit, which signals control the timing of the movement and the vertical position of the bottom pusher
3
a.
The bottom pusher
3
a
preferably is an aluminium construction. The bottom pusher
3
a
is mounted on or suspended from the carriage
25
running on driven guides
26
. These linear guides may be e.g. spindle designs with a pitch of 50 mm, and driven by a servo motor
94
with brake. Two end-of-run inductive switches (not represented) are preferably provided, and one extra as a reference switch.
The bottom-pusher mechanism
3
a
is shown more in detail in
FIGS. 3A-3D
. It comprises at least one pusher, preferably a plurality of pushers, which are upright rods
31
e.g. 40 mm wide. A head
32
of such a rod
31
can move, driven by suitable signals received from a control unit, independently of the pusher rod
31
itself in two directions, vertically, i.e. along the z-axis in
FIGS. 3A-3D
, e.g. 30 mm above the fixed end of the rod
31
, and horizontally, i.e. along the x-axis in
FIGS. 3A-3D
, e.g. 20 mm ahead of the rod
31
, as can be seen in particular in FIG.
3
B. In this way a sort of hook
33
is created so that, when the hook
33
is upright and the carriage
25
moves forward, it can reach between the shingled boxes
90
if pushed forward. Also, the trailing one of the shingled boxes
90
can be held tightly by slightly pulling down the hook
33
. To increase the result and the chance of placing the hook
33
between two boxes
90
a
,
90
b
, an upwardly moving lip
34
is mounted behind this pusher
3
a
on the fixed part of the construction but at the level of the pusher
3
a
, which lip
34
presses up the shingled flow of boxes
90
, more specifically box
90
b
, as can be seen in FIG.
4
B.
In
FIG. 4A
, the carriage construction
2
, being the carriage
25
and the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
, are in their starting positions. The starting position of the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
is shown more in detail in FIG.
3
A. The pusher rod
31
is down and the head
32
is retracted.
After a predetermined number of shingled boxes
90
have passed the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
, the lip
34
moves up, as represented in
FIGS. 3B and 4B
, thus reaching between shingled boxes
90
a
and
90
b
. The head
32
of the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
moves forwardly and up during a set time period. The carriage
25
moves forward quickly (faster than the movement of the shingled stream), driven by suitable signals received from a control device. By this sequence, a number of boxes are separated from the shingled stream of flat-folded boxes
90
, as shown in FIG.
4
C.
As soon as the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
, and thus also the carriage
25
, has reached a pre-set position P
3
, the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
starts moving up with regard to the carriage
25
, thus moving in the z-direction, as represented in
FIGS. 3C and 4C
. This movement is driven by signals received from a control device. The bottom pusher
3
a
is mechanically mounted on the carriage
25
and is movable 90° with relation to the direction of movement of the carriage
25
, this being a movement along the z-axis in
FIGS. 3A-3D
. The upward (in the z-direction) speed of the bottom pusher
3
a
is related to the forward (in the x-direction) speed of the carriage
25
according to a setting (via a menu) which depends on the kind of boxes treated, which setting makes a control device generate suitable signals for driving the bottom pusher
3
a
in upward direction. For example, the upward speed of the bottom pusher
3
a
could be between 5% and 30%, preferably about 10%, of the forward speed of the carriage
25
, depending on the format of the boxes
90
treated. The upward speed of the bottom pusher
3
a
can also be higher than 30% of the forward speed of the carriage
25
, but should not be too high, in order not to make flat-folded boxes
90
go up too fast, whereafter they will fall down and prevent further stacking. By the combined upward movement of the pusher
3
a
, and forward movement of the carriage
25
on which the pusher
3
a
is mounted, the boxes
90
are taken along, and a stack
100
is being formed.
Once the carriage
25
has reached a second pre-set position P
4
, the bottom pusher
3
a
moves upwards up to end-of-run, independent of the movement of the carriage
25
, as shown in
FIGS. 3D and 4D
. Therefore, the bottom pusher receives suitable driving signals from a control device. In the meantime, the carriage
25
continues moving in the forward direction, being the x direction in
FIG. 4D
, thus forming a stack
100
. The boxes
90
are pushed against one or a plurality of stop plates
30
. A neat stack
100
is formed if all flat-folded boxes
90
are pushed between the stop plate(s)
30
and the pusher
3
a.
The stop plates
30
are positioned, during start-up, at a position P
5
, and the pusher
3
a
moves forward, carried by the carriage
25
, up to a position P
6
. Position P
5
may for example be half a length of a box further than the end-of-run of the pusher
3
a
, in which case the pusher
3
a
moves up to the position “end-of-run minus half a length of a box”. Other ways of positioning the stop plates
30
and calculating the position P
6
up to where the pusher
3
a
has to move are possible as well. The stop plates
30
can either be positioned manually, or they can be positioned automatically. If the stop plates
30
are positioned automatically, this is done by means of appropriate signals, received by positioning plates driving means (not represented) from a control device.
Along the length of the trajectory described by the flat-folded boxes
90
in
FIGS. 4A-4D
, guiding plates
95
or a guiding frame (represented in
FIG. 9
) are preferably provided, at the sides and preferably also at the top of the trajectory. The width between the guiding plates
95
is set manually. The aim of the guiding plates
95
is, next to guiding the flat-folded boxes
90
, also supporting the building of the stack
100
by adjusting the friction on the boxes
90
and thus the tension thereon. The setting of the guiding plates
95
is empirical and strongly dependent on the kind of boxes
90
stacked.
FIGS. 5A-5E
show a second embodiment for stacking, according to the present invention, flat-folded boxes
90
fed in top-stacking. In this embodiment, during start-up, the stop plates
30
are positioned on a position P
7
depending on the length of the boxes
90
to be stacked, which position P
7
is not under the portal robot system
4
, contrary to the embodiment described in
FIGS. 4A-4D
. The aim of positioning the stop plates
30
at position P
7
is to make stacks
100
from two sides at the same time, and to prevent the boxes on top of the forming stack to slide away.
In
FIG. 5A
, the carriage
25
and the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
are in their starting positions. The starting position of the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
is shown more in detail in
FIG. 3A
, and has been described above.
After a predetermined number of shingled boxes
90
have passed the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
, the lip
34
moves up, as represented in
FIGS. 3B and 5B
, thus reaching between shingled boxes
90
a
and
90
b
. The head
32
of the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
moves forwardly and up during a set time period. The carriage
25
fastly moves forward (faster than the movement of the shingled stream). The movement of the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
is driven by suitable signals received from a control unit. By this sequence of forward and upward movement, a number of boxes is separated from the shingled stream of flat-folded boxes
90
, as shown in FIG.
5
C.
As soon as the bottom pusher mechanism
3
a
, and thus the carriage
25
, has reached a pre-set position P
3
, the bottom pusher
3
a
starts moving up, as represented in
FIGS. 3C and 5C
, driven by suitable signals received from a control device. The bottom pusher
3
a
is mechanically mounted on the carriage
25
and is movable 90° with relation to the direction of movement of the carriage
25
, this being a movement along the z-axis in
FIGS. 3A-3D
, where the carriage
25
is movable along the x-axis. The speed of the bottom pusher
3
a
is related to the speed of the carriage
25
according to a setting (via a menu) which depends on the kind of boxes treated. By the combined upward movement of the pusher
3
a
, and forward movement of the carriage
25
on which the pusher
3
a
is mounted, the boxes
90
are taken along, and a stack
100
is being formed. By the combination of the movements of the pusher
3
a
and the carriage
25
, the lowermost boxes
90
c
of the stream push against the stop plates
30
; therefore stack-forming also takes places in the lowest layers, and not only in the uppermost layers as is the case in the embodiment described with relation to
FIGS. 4A-4D
.
The bottom pusher
3
a
moves upwardly driven by suitable signals received from a control device, up to when it comes a little higher than the total height of the stack
100
to be formed, as represented in FIG.
5
D. This is a difference with the first embodiment, where the pusher
3
a
moved upwardly up to end-of-run. The advantage of this is that the uppermost flat-folded boxes
90
are less taken along upwardly by the bottom pusher
3
a
, and that there are thus less chances that one or more boxes are taken up and fall down again, which makes it impossible to further stack the boxes.
Once the pusher
3
a
is at a pre-set distance from the stop plates
30
, which distance equals the length of the boxes
90
, the stop plates
30
start to move as well, and move synchronously with the pusher
3
a
, driven by suitable signals received from a control device, until the centre of the stack
100
is positioned under the centre of the gripper head
41
of the portal robot system
4
, as represented in FIG.
5
E. In practice, the stop plates
30
start moving a bit earlier to limit the acceleration of the stop plates
30
. Synchronisation is then done when the distance between the stop plates
30
and the pusher
3
a
equals the length of the boxes
90
.
In this embodiment again, preferably guiding plates
95
are provided along the path of the boxes
90
, as for the first embodiment.
The carriage
25
is designed so that in case of top-stacking, the shingled stream is split and the stack
100
is formed by combining a horizontal and vertical drive. The carriage
25
moves forward while the bottom pushers
3
a
mounted thereon or suspended therefrom move upward. In the meantime a pressure system, moving in synchrony with the belt transport, holds the stack
100
under control on the top edge.
A third embodiment is described with relation to
FIGS. 6A-6D
, and shows how boxes
90
are stacked if they are fed in under-stacking. In order to deal with this kind of feed, a top pusher
3
b
is built in the construction of the carriage
25
. The top pusher mechanism
3
b
is an aluminium construction fixedly suspended on upright parts of the carriage located on either side of this carriage
25
.
The top pusher mechanism
3
b
is integrated in the carriage construction
2
and forms part thereof. The pushers
35
of the top pusher mechanism
3
b
themselves are a plurality of rods. In operation they are always between the side plates or guiding plates
95
, and together they can move over the width of the machine
10
, which lays in the y-direction in the drawings. A pneumatically driven piston rod (not represented) ensures that the pusher
35
can be moved a fixed distance forward or backward, i.e. in the direction of arrows A, respectively B in FIG.
6
A. The piston rod is driven by suitable signals received from a control device. By this movement, the top pusher
3
b
can be brought to its start or rest position, being position P
1
in FIG.
6
A.
In the start position P
1
, if a pre-set number of flat-folded boxes
90
have passed the top pusher
3
b
, the pushers
35
must move a fixed distance down in order to push off the shingled boxes
90
, as represented in FIG.
6
A. The actual pushing off itself is performed by, meanwhile, moving forward the carriage
25
, carrying the top pusher
3
b
and thus the pushers
35
with it, while the pushers
35
are moving down, i.e. in the direction of arrows C, as can be seen in FIG.
6
B. To guarantee the safe function of the pushers
35
, a minimum distance from the centre of the machine
10
must be observed. There is also provided a mechanical stop. To detect the position of the movements, IN and OUT sensors are preferably provided. If this mechanism is not used, the pushers
35
must be moved apart as far as possible from the centre of the machine
10
, which is first moved to the rest position. For safety reasons, a reference position sensor is preferably fitted in the position to which the mechanism must be moved, otherwise the machine will not function.
The top pusher
3
b
, and thus also the pushers
35
, are moved further forward, in the direction of arrow A, driven by suitable signals received from a control device, as represented in
FIG. 6C
, thus beginning to build a stack of the flat-folded boxes pushed off.
During forward movement of the carriage
25
, preferably a pressure system is used to hold the rest of the boxes
90
to prevent twisting by friction forces. This is preferably done by pressing a plate (not represented) on the top of the boxes to be stacked. To prevent blocking and hence accumulation of the flat-folded boxes
90
already supplied, this plate moves with the boxes
90
while pressing. The pressure plate is moved down by a pneumatically driven piston rod which is driven by suitable signals received from a control device. To set the pressure level for the pressure plate, in first instance the position of the OUT sensor is used. Several OUT sensors therefore are fitted. The forward movement of the pressure plate in synchrony with the belt transport may e.g. be performed by a linear shaft with toothed belt drive, the carriage of which stands still and the shaft moves. This shaft is moved by a servo motor. Thanks to a resolver and associated servo control, the position of the pressure plate in the horizontal plane is known at all times. On the shaft are provided two end-of-run inductive switches and one reference switch. The position of the pressure plate in the vertical plane is determined by the IN and OUT sensors of the piston rod.
The carriage
25
finally brings the forming stack to rest against a rear stop plate
30
or a plurality of rear stop plates
30
using positioning control (a servo motor and a control device for controlling the feed of the carriage
25
), as represented in FIG.
6
D. This plate or these plates
30
can be set to a correct position using a servo motor. In semi-automatic function this plate or these plates
30
can be moved pneumatically downward so the stack
100
can be manually removed. These pneumatic rod-less cylinders can indicate their up or down position by IN and OUT Reed relay sensors.
According to a fourth embodiment (not represented), if there is sufficient space between two flat-folded boxes
90
a
and
90
b
, as shown in
FIG. 6B
, the bottom pushers
3
a
move up and take over the packet formation from the top pushers
3
b
. The top pushers
3
b
are raised and retracted again (moved in the direction of arrow B in FIG.
6
A). A pressure system which moves synchronously with the belt transport has the same function as in top-stacking.
The width position of the top pushers
3
b
can be set manually. The pressure plate pneumatic cylinder has several Reed relay sensors so its approximate position is known. By choosing one of these sensors as the end sensor, the height of the pressure plate is determined.
3. Transferring Device
4
A stack
100
, transported by the carriage construction
2
towards a first location, is lifted and transferred to a second location, either rotated in a horizontal plane or not. This is represented in
FIGS. 7A-7F
and
FIGS. 8A-8B
. The transferring device
4
itself is shown in detail in FIG.
10
.
The transferring device is a 4-axis (X-Y-Z-Θ) portal robot system
4
with a gripper head
41
, represented in FIG.
10
. All linear axes are driven linear units parallel to each other. This is to allow movement of a heavy load at a high speed with a relative repeat accuracy (±1 mm). Movements over all axes are controlled by a servo motor
40
receiving suitable signals from a control device. For movement in the direction of the Z-axis, a servo motor
40
with brake is provided. The rotation about an angle Θ is performed with a special planetary reducing gear
43
with a large outgoing shaft diameter. On the X-Y-Z axes are provided inductive end-of-run switches and a reference switch. The most critical movement here is the movement according to the Z-axis, as this movement must reach a minimum height before the other axis movements can begin. The gripper head
41
of the transferring device
4
can safely move its load over the stop plates
30
and possible other obstacles. Therefore a secondary sensor, e.g. an inductive sensor or a photocell, is preferably placed to mark the height independently of the servo control. The rotation angle is best marked in relation to a reference point (0°, 90°, 180°, −90°). The reference point is preferably equal to the zero point (0°).
The positioning of the axes is determined by a control device, e.g. a PLC program, from product format data, and is passed to control of the motor
40
. Information is exchanged between the control device such as the PLC, and the motor control e.g. via Profibus.
The transferring device
4
has a gripper head
41
comprising a horizontal supporting construction with
4
aluminium arms
42
, bars of e.g. 160×40 mm which are placed over each other in a cross shape, the centre of which is mounted on a special rotating reducing gear
43
. Under each arm
42
is fitted a guide profile
45
, the positioning carriage
46
of which is moved thereon e.g. by means of a spindle, driven by suitable signals received from a control device. Mounted at the bottom on these positioning carriages
46
hang the actual gripper arms
44
. These consist of three parts: a supporting part
47
, side plates
48
and fingers
49
. The eight fingers
49
, two on each side, are extended and retracted by pneumatic piston-rod cylinders driven by suitable signals received from a control device. The side plates
48
of the gripper arms
44
are made to extend and retract pneumatically by 20 mm to give more play on the four sides around an assembled stack
100
. To minimise the slippage of the suspended boxes, on the rear gripper arm
44
is placed a vertically freely mobile linear guide with a weight at the bottom. When the gripper head
41
moves down, this weight presses automatically on the front edge of the stack
100
of boxes.
The four gripper arms
44
can be moved independently by the spindle receiving suitable driving signals from a control device. However, the position of a gripper arm
44
is relatively critical. These settings are automated, based on the principle of a docking station. One DC positioning motor with a special coupling interface to the gripper spindle ensures the setting positions, one by one, of the gripper arms
44
. The gripper head
41
is always brought to position towards a positioning interface.
The rotation of any stack
100
of boxes requiring compensation is performed in the horizontal plane using the special rotating reducing gear
43
in the centre of the gripper head construction
41
.
In FIG.
7
A and in
FIG. 8A
, a stack
100
of boxes is ready at a first location. The gripper head
41
will go down. The gripper arms
44
will close, driven by suitable driving signals received from a control device, and thus embrace the stack
100
of boxes. Once the gripper arms
44
are closed, the gripper head
41
is lifted again, and the stack
100
is moved towards a second location, the drop-off point
6
, where the stack
100
is deposited, as represented in FIG.
7
B and FIG.
8
B. During this movement towards the second location, the gripper head
41
can rotate about an angle, driven by appropriate signals received from a control device, in order to put the stack
100
of boxes rotated over 90°, 180° or −90° on top of a stack already present at the drop-off point
6
, thus forming a compensated packet
200
.
4. Drop-Off Point
6
The drop-off point
6
is provided to allow secure turning and depositing of the individual stacks
100
. Manual setting of width bars
61
allow the stacks
100
to have a correct support, depending on the dimensions of the flat-folded boxes
90
in the stack
100
. Angle profiles can be moved manually in longitudinal direction. The stacks
100
of boxes are centred in this way. In
FIGS. 7B and 8B
, the gripper head
41
has put the stack
100
of boxes on the drop-off point
6
, driven by appropriate signals received from a control device. The gripper head
41
can now return to its home position. A compensated packet
200
is formed at the drop-off point
6
, ready for being strapped.
A push system
62
is performed with a pneumatically controlled top clamp (IN-OUT sensors) so a compensated packet
200
is pushed in the direction of an output tunnel
7
. The push system
62
is preferably driven by a servo motor receiving suitable driving signals from a control device. End-of-run switches are provided. The position of the pusher
62
at the front (start position) is calculated by the control device, e.g. a PLC program, from product format data, and is passed to the motor control. This pusher
62
can also be used to prevent the packet
200
from slipping. This positioning method can also be used at the back but the end position is a fixed position, as the end of the output tunnel is at a fixed position. Information is exchanged between the control device, e.g. a PLC, and the motor control, e.g. via Profibus. A hydraulic shock absorber is provided as mechanical protection. At the back a pillar can be twisted pneumatically away from the two corners (IN-OUT sensors) so that the way is clear to bring the packet
200
to the output tunnel
7
. Once again in supply and possible rotation of the packet
200
by the rotation system, the Z-axis position is critical so here too it is best to fit a height marker sensor.
The drop off bars
61
are pneumatically moved 50 mm up and down so that during the deposit process, the fall height of a stack
100
is reduced.
A clamp on the drop-off pusher
62
may be omitted and instead two stainless steel side plates may be fitted on the mobile suspension of turning gates so that a packet
200
can be held between two upright plates during movement of the drop-off pusher
62
towards the output tunnel
7
.
The packet
200
is pushed by the drop-off pusher
62
towards an output tunnel
7
, as represented in FIG.
7
C. In
FIG. 7D
, the drop-off pusher
62
has reached its end position. A pusher
71
of an output system
70
goes up to take over the pushing movement from the drop-off pusher. The drop-off pusher
62
can move back to its home position. The pusher
71
of the output system
70
can move forward, i.e. in the Y-direction on
FIG. 7D
, thus moving the packet
200
further through the output tunnel
7
.
According to another embodiment, as represented in
FIG. 8B
, once the gripper head
41
has deposited the stack
100
and the packet
200
is formed at the drop-off point
6
, a gate of the drop-off point
6
opens. A pair of packet tongs
80
drives in the drop-off point
6
. The pair of packet tongs
80
comprises a lower tong half
81
and an upper tong half
82
. The distance between the lower tong half
81
and the upper tong half
82
can be set in function of the height of the packet
200
, for example between 115 mm and 1400 mm, and this setting is driven by suitable signals received from a control device. The lower tong half
81
can only move over a small distance, and has as principal aim to lift the packet
200
over the drop-off point
6
. The upper tong half
82
is the clamping part of the pair of packet tongs
80
. This upper tong half
82
is pressure controlled to adjust the clamping force.
Once positioned to enclose the packet
200
, the lower tong half
81
is lifted, to lift the packet
200
over the drop-off point
6
. Thereafter, the upper tong half
82
closes to clamp the packet
200
, as represented in FIG.
8
C.
Thereafter, the pair of packet tongs
80
rotates 180° about a rotation point
83
, as represented in
FIG. 8D
, and starts a forward movement.
5. Output Section
16
The output section
16
of the embodiment described comprises an output tunnel
7
and a strapping device
8
.
For the first embodiment, described in
FIGS. 7D-7F
, the output tunnel
7
is formed by manually set side plates (not represented) and preferably has a top guide (not represented) with manual height adjustment. Behind the packet
200
, pushers
71
(fitted with IN-OUT sensors) are pushed up by a pneumatic piston rod
72
, driven by suitable signals received from a control device. The forward movement of the pushers
71
in the direction of the strapping device
8
is performed using a servo motor with end-of-run switches. The positioning of the pushers
71
is calculated by the control device, e.g. a PLC program, from product format and bundling data, and is passed to the motor control. Information is exchanged between the control device, e.g. the PLC, and the motor control e.g. by Profibus.
Once the output system
70
has reached its end position, as shown in
FIG. 7E
, an expel system
75
takes over the moving of the packet
200
. The output system
70
can go back to its home position in the mean time. The pusher
76
of the expel system
75
is moved down behind the packet
200
by a pneumatically driven piston rod
77
receiving suitable signals from a control device. The forward movement is e.g. performed by a linear shaft with toothed belt drive, where the carriage is fixed and the shaft moves. This shaft is moved forward by a servo motor receiving appropriate driving signals from a control device. By using a resolver and associated servo control, the position of the expel pusher
76
in the horizontal plane is known at any time. On this shaft are two end-of-run inductive switches and one reference switch. The position of the expel pusher
76
in the vertical plane is determined by the IN-OUT sensors of the piston rod.
The expel system
75
can set the packet
200
on a position where strapping can be done by a strapping device
8
, as represented in
FIG. 7F
, or it can move the packet
200
out of the machine
10
, e.g. towards a palletising unit (not represented) where different packets
200
are stacked.
The expel system
75
has as most important advantage a time saving, especially when strapping is used: while the expel system
75
is doing its job, the output system
70
can go back to its home position.
Preferably guiding plates (not represented) are provided along the expel system
75
for guiding the packets
200
and for providing some friction in order to avoid that packets
200
fall to pieces due to accelerations or decelerations of movements. The guide plates can be set manually.
The pushers
71
,
76
of the output section
16
must be switched on and off automatically. For this an analog photocell is placed on the side to detect the distance of the side plate from its maximum or minimum position. All pushers which fall under and outside these side plates (side plate detection output) are switched off. A manual adjustment furthermore also allows disconnection of the pushers
71
,
76
between the side plates.
For the second embodiment, shown in
FIGS. 8D-8E
, the pair of packet tongs
80
moves through the output tunnel
7
. At the end thereof, the pair of packet tongs
80
can drive into a strapping machine
8
(which in this case must be a special kind of strapping machine) and have the packet
200
strapped. Once this has been done, or once the pair of packet tongs
80
is at the end of its loop, the upper tong half
82
and the lower tong half
81
open as wide as they can, driven by suitable signals received from a control device, whereafter the packet
200
, strapped or not, is deposited onto a subsequent line (e.g. a palletising device). The pair of packet tongs
80
goes back to its initial position as represented in FIG.
8
A.
The entire machine
10
is preferably fully encapsulated by removable plastic walls monitored by safety switches, which enhances the safety of the system.
The machine is designed to process a wide range of products in an efficient way and not overload the operator with too many complex adjustments.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention.
Claims
- 1. Machine for building a stack of stiff flat articles, comprising:an input device for feed of a horizontal flow of flat articles in an overlapping shingled relationship and travelling in a first direction; a pusher mechanism for engaging with a side of one of the flat articles and for driving a plurality of flat articles into a vertical stack at a first location; wherein: the pusher mechanism comprises: a transport means for movement in the first direction; a bottom-pusher mechanism mounted on the transport means, and a top pusher mechanism mounted on the transport means, the machine further comprising: a control device for controlling movements of the bottom or top pusher mechanisms, the control device controlling the operation of the top or bottom pusher mechanisms such that: if the horizontal flow of articles is top-stacked, the bottom pusher mechanism engages a side of one of the flat articles and drives a plurality of the flat articles into the vertical stack, and if the horizontal flow of articles is under-stacked, the top-pusher mechanism at least pushes off a plurality of flat articles to form the vertical stack.
- 2. Machine according to claim 1, wherein, when the flat articles are under-stacked, the bottom pusher mechanism has means to move up and take over the stack formation from the top pusher mechanism.
- 3. Machine according to claim 1, wherein, when the flat articles are under-stacked the top pusher mechanism has means to engage a side of one of the flat articles and to drive the plurality of the flat articles into the vertical stack.
- 4. Machine according to claim 1, further comprising means to actuate the pusher mechanism so as to make a movement towards the first location which is accelerated with regard to the movement of the horizontal flow of flat articles.
- 5. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the pusher mechanism is controlled in place and height in accordance with the flat articles to be stacked by the control device.
- 6. Machine according to claim 1, further comprising a fixedly mounted guiding element with a runner for running up the moving shingled stream of flat articles, and a rotation encoder connected to the runner.
- 7. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the transport means is a carriage.
- 8. Machine according to claim 1, wherein the control device has means to control a movement of the pusher mechanism in time and place.
- 9. Machine according to claim 8, wherein the control device has means for controlling a time of starting the movement of the pusher mechanism, a rate of acceleration thereof and when the acceleration is to stop.
- 10. Machine according to claim 8, wherein control device has means to control the movement of the pusher mechanism in place and height in accordance with the flat articles to be stacked.
- 11. Machine according to claim 8, wherein the control device has means for actuating the pusher mechanism so as to make a movement towards the first location which is accelerated with regard to the movement of the horizontal flow of flat articles.
- 12. Machine according to claim 1 further comprising a transferring device for lifting the stack and transferring it to a second location.
- 13. Machine according to claim 12 wherein the transferring device has a gripper head having gripper arms, the gripper arms being adapted to embrace the stack.
- 14. Machine according to claim 12, wherein the transferring device has means to optionally rotate the stack through a predetermined angle between lifting the stack the first location and transferring it to the second location.
- 15. Machine according to claim 14, wherein the transferring device has means to rotate the stack about a vertical axis.
- 16. Machine according to claim 14, wherein the transferring device has a gripper head having gripper arms, the gripper arms being adapted to embrace the stack.
- 17. Machine for building a stack of stiff flat articles, comprising:an input device for feed of a horizontal flow of flat articles in an overlapping shingled relationship and travelling in a first direction, the horizontal flow of articles being under-stacked; a pusher mechanism for engaging with a side of one of the flat articles and for driving a plurality of flat articles into a vertical stack at a first location; wherein: the pusher mechanism comprises: a transport means for movement in the first direction; a top pusher mechanism mounted on the transport means, the machine further comprising: a control device for controlling movements of the pusher mechanisms, the control device controlling the operation of the top pusher mechanism such that: the top-pusher mechanism at least pushes off a plurality of flat articles to form the vertical stack.
- 18. Machine according to claim 17, wherein the transport means is a carriage.
- 19. The machine according to claim 17, wherein the top pusher mechanism has means to engage a side of one of the flat articles and to drive the plurality of the flat articles into the vertical stack.
- 20. The machine according to claim 19, wherein the control device has means to control a movement of the pusher mechanism in time and place.
- 21. Machine for building a stack of stiff flat articles, comprising:an input device for feed of a horizontal flow of flat articles in an overlapping shingled relationship and travelling in a first direction, the horizontal flow of articles being top-stacked; a pusher mechanism for engaging with a side of one of the flat articles and for driving a plurality of flat articles into a vertical stack at a first location; wherein: the pusher mechanism comprises: a transport means for movement in the first direction; a bottom-pusher mechanism mounted on the transport means and including at least one pusher, the machine further comprising: a control device for controlling movements of the bottom-pusher mechanism, the control device controlling the operation of the bottom pusher mechanism such that: the bottom pusher mechanism engages a side of one of the flat articles and drives a plurality of the flat articles into the vertical stack, wherein the bottom-pusher mechanism comprises means to move the at least one pusher relative to the transport means in a second direction separately from the movement of the transport means in the first direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction.
- 22. Machine according to claim 21, wherein the control device has means to control a movement of the pusher mechanism in time and place.
- 23. Machine according to claim 21, wherein the at least one pusher comprises a head with means for moving with respect to the at least one pusher.
- 24. Machine according to claim 21, wherein the transport means is a carriage.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
00200598 |
Feb 2000 |
EP |
|
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/BE01/00027 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO01/62643 |
8/30/2001 |
WO |
A |
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
343 150 |
May 1978 |
AT |
WO 8800921 |
Feb 1998 |
WO |
WO 8800922 |
Feb 1998 |
WO |