Method and Device To Insert Individual Products Into Containers In An Automated Line
In a process for introducing individual products into containers by means of an automated line comprising at least two insertion robots, individual products are individually gripped and transferred to containers inside a transfer region. The individual products and the containers are delivered in synchronization on at least one transportation device for the individual products and on at least one transportation device for the containers. The delivery of a next container to be filled into the transfer region of the automated line is controlled by a metering device. Metering is effected at a position relative to the exit of the transfer region.
The invention relates to a method and device for inserting individual products into containers in an automated line.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSuch automated lines are used for the transfer of individual products into deposit groups which can accommodate a given number of individual products. Automated lines may also be used for packaging individual products of different weight in weight determined deposit groups. In the following instead of the term deposit group the term container is used. The term container is to be understood less than such as a container, but rather as individual products or a group of individual products that after the transfer by the insertion robots are placed in a defined position relative to a transportation device and possibly in a defined position within the group of individual products.
The procedure usually involved is such that the individual products are delivered on at least one product conveyor belt and the containers are delivered on at least one container conveyor belt and that both the individual products and the containers are transported alongside the insertion robots which are located in fixed positions. A container conveyor belt can be a transportation device that introduces containers or placing positions with a defined Cartesian coordinate, either in fixed or variable distance but stationary relative to the transportation device. Container conveyor belts also can be formed by thermoforming machines or feeding chains that contain cavities, containers or drivers in fixed, or variable according to the indexing of the belt, distance. The infeed section of horizontal flow wrappers as well may be regarded as a container conveyor belt that feeds placing positions dependent on the distance between two transverse seals.
From the perspective of a central control system or the individual controls of each insertion robot of such an automated line, there is no difference whether it concerns containers or cavities or Cartesian placing positions.
In practice, the containers are delivered predominantly on a first transportation device and generally accumulated thereon. Then the containers are transferred from the first transportation device onto a second transportation device, the effective container conveyor belt, on which the respective containers are filled with the appropriate number of individual products, and then, after complete filling of each container, the containers are in turn passed onto a third transportation device for the filled containers to be transported away.
DE 42 08 818 C2 discloses an automated line where the insertion robots are not located in a fixed position relative to the product conveyor or container conveyor but are limitedly and jointly movable in running direction of the conveyors and which are individually movable in orthogonal direction of the conveyors. Thereby the gripping of the individual products, and the placing of the individual products into a container can be performed with a moving product conveyor and container conveyor. At the most the product conveyor feeding individual products may be temporarily stopped. This complicates the coupling to a continuously producing production machine for individual products, and only one insertion robot can grip or place a product and not both insertion robots together. Furthermore there is no advantage visible from the shown arrangement of the product conveyor in synchronization or in countercurrent direction.
In contrast, EP 0 749 902 A1 and DE 297 01 564 U1 disclose an automated line with which the individual products are metered, i.e. counted, with a stationary metering device, i.e. counting device, at the entrance to the automated line in order to release a new container to the container conveyor belt when the number of products required to fill a container is achieved. Each insertion robot is connected by means of a data bus to the control unit of the automated line to continuously carry forward and update those individual parts that have already been transferred by an insertion robot.
Further it is disclosed that the container conveyor belt and the product conveyor belt are advanced in synchronization or that the container conveyor and the product conveyor are realized as one joint conveyor. It has proved to be particularly problematic that it cannot be ensured that all containers are completely filled when the products are delivered irregularly or on narrow product conveyor belts.
Where possible, the containers are moved at the same speed and in parallel beside the individual products determined for a container. This hinders the use of containers that only accommodate a small number of products before becoming full, since in this case a plurality of container belts has to be used. By contrast, with containers that accommodate a large number of products before becoming full, the distance between the containers on the container belt has to be selected to be unnecessarily large.
The use of containers, which are introduced with a fixed distance on the respective container conveyor belt is further complicated. This is usually the case for thermoforming machines, as revealed for example in DE 25 06 446 A1. Thermoforming machines require that a preferably filled container is discharged at the discharge end when a new and empty container is introduced at the entry. In case of irregular feeding of individual products the complete filling of containers and the complete transfer of these individual products is complicated or the consumption of packaging material becomes unnecessarily high due to empty packages and cycles that are required to compensate for the resulting time offset.
EP 1 285 851 A1 presents an automated line, in which, due to the available products and due to the free container positions, the insertion robots are actuated such that the insertion robots are utilized as uniformly as possible. In this case, the capacity of the insertion robots and the speed of the container belt are determined continuously on the basis of auxiliary conditions that are to be observed. The calculation of the corresponding time-discrete systems of equations and optimization thereof has proven in practice to be extremely processor intensive and accordingly requires efficient control computers.
EP 2 233 400 A1 discloses an automated line that controls the relative speed of the container conveyor belt and of the product conveyor belt dependent on the filling level of additional buffer elements and dependent on the amount of individual products currently introduced at the entry of the automated line. This requires that the capacity of the automated line must be unnecessarily high, since the buffer elements must be continuously loaded and unloaded with individual products.
Another approach for optimizing the efficacy of automated lines is presented in EP 1 352 831 A1. The product flow and the container flow can be decoupled by means of buffer areas. The filling capacity of the buffer area is used for the supply of containers. Such a system can be advantageous for regularly introduced individual products but requires additional transportation elements.
EP 0 856 465 A1 and EP 2 236 424 A1 disclose automated lines where the individual products and the containers are transported in countercurrent flow. Such automated lines operated in countercurrent flow prove to be very efficient for transferring and packaging individual products into containers. However in certain operations the countercurrent mode of operation of these automated lines may not be desirable for hygienic or logistic reasons.
For certain applications, such as for batching or forming weight determined or equal weight groups or containers from individual products having unequal weights as disclosed in EP 1 819 994 A1, it is desirable to implement and retain the advantages of such countercurrent flow automated lines in an automated line that is operated in synchronous mode of operation. EP 1 819 994 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,775,373 B2 disclose several possible batching systems. However they either require recirculation of incompletely filled containers, or a combination of conveyor belts working both in countercurrent and in synchronous mode of operation, or they require that the container conveyor may be completely stopped to ensure that all containers are completely filled. WO 2008/080760 discloses an automated line for forming equal weight batches that combines both a transportation device for the batches operated in countercurrent mode and a buffer system for buffering individual products.
EP 1 747 429 A1 discloses a method for sorting and packaging of unequally sized individual products, whereby the size of each individual product is estimated or determined and where the position of each product on the product conveyor belt is registered. Then it is determined in which container the product should be inserted. It is foreseen that individual products which are outside the size limits will not be transferred to a container. The pitch of the containers on the container transportation device is such that the containers may be sealed with a film. U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,506 B1 also predetermines the location of each individual product in a container after weighing it.
The drawbacks of these methods are that their realization in an automated line requires a complicated control system or that they are primarily used with one single insertion robot or with containers that may be interchanged or rearranged during operation of the automated line.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to avoid the drawbacks of the known field and in particular to provide a method and an apparatus by means of which an automated line in synchronous mode of operation allows to transfer irregularly introduced individual products in, in particular weight determined, containers, such as blisters on a transportation device, cavities of a grouping chain, stacks of individual products transferred by engaged pushers of a grouping chain or deep drawn cavities of a thermoform machine as regularly as possible and which permits an improved efficiency and a balanced operation of the automated line without significantly increasing the effort required to handle the containers to be filled.
This objective is achieved by a method and an apparatus having the features of patent claims 1 and 17, respectively.
REPRESENTATION OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to a method for the batch-by-batch transfer of each batch of at least one type of individual products into at least one type of container holding a determined number of individual products to fill it by means of an automated line, which contains at least two insertion robots arranged in a transfer region between an inlet and an outlet. Therein, the number to fill the container corresponds to a target value for the complete filling of a container in terms of absolute numbers with individual products in the transfer region of the automated line. The individual products are transported irregularly to the inlet of the automated line, in order for these to be individually gripped by the insertion robots in the transfer region of the automated line and transferred into containers. If need be, a multiple gripper is used to grip and transfer the products. Then the individual products are individually gripped, mostly one after the other, and deposited in containers as a group. Therein, the individual products and the containers are transported in synchronization, i.e. in unidirectional or concurrent mode of operation, on one or several product belts and on one or several container belts. The invention is able to be used equally in the case of one single product belt and one single container belt and in the case of several product and/or container belts. If, subsequently, the slowest or the fastest container or product bands are referred to, this should not imply the presence of several belts. Rather, in the case of single product or container belts, each belt is to be considered as the fastest and the slowest respectively. Likewise, in the case of only one belt respectively, a reference to each product or container belt relates to precisely this belt and does not imply the presence of several belts.
A maximum frequency of the total transported individual products, i.e. a maximum product density of the transported individual products to be expected for this batch, for example, per unit of time or per unit of length or area of the product belt(s), is provided for each batch. This maximum frequency is determined, for example, from the capacity of the previous production process of the individual products. It can, however, also be determined by the working method, such as the individual products being laid onto the corresponding product belt manually or automatically, for example with a separating device. Therein a speed is provided for each product belt and for each container belt due to this maximum frequency, in such a way that each product belt and each container belt has a relative speed allocated to this maximum frequency with regard to a slowest container band, said relative speed being, in particular, different from zero. The relative speed, which is different from zero, is required in order to adjust the interval and the transport speed of a container, which corresponds to a batch and is transported on the respective container belt, to be optimal with regard to the number to fill this container. In the case of containers with a large number to fill, it can thus be achieved that these containers are transported through the transfer region more slowly relative to the individual products, and that the interval of the containers is able to be kept small accordingly. This is particularly advantageous for container supplies, which requires a fixed interval, for example troughs of a deep-drawing machine or packaging of a horizontal packaging machine with an underlying film supply.
A metering position is provided for each product belt. Here, the provision of the metering position, or if necessary the metering positions, occurs such that an individual product, which is metered at the respective metering position and is not transferred, reaches a target position at the same time as a container which is simultaneously guided on the slowest container belt in the transfer region of the automated line. This target position coincides with an outlet from the transfer region of the automated line, if each product belt and each container belt are moved at the speed, which is predetermined depending on each batch. The specification of the metering position is thus adjusted to the maximum frequency of the total transported individual products predetermined for each batch. In the case that the metering position is arranged in the transfer region itself—this can be required, for example, in the case of containers, which only have a small number to be filled, or if at least one product belt is moved more slowly than all the container belts—the individual products already transferred to the region of the metering position are not metered in this instance. Here, it is to be taken into account that a part of the individual products could have already been transferred into containers. During the transfer, the individual products are metered on the product band that transports them at the metering position corresponding to this product belt. In the case of several different fast-moving belts, the individual products can be metered at different metering positions, allocated to one of the product belts respectively. Individual products on faster product belts are metered back or upstream as far as possible. Accordingly, individual products on slower product belts are metered further forwards or downstream, i.e. closer to an inlet of the transfer region. The metering of the individual products can occur in different ways. For example, through optical recording devices, through weighing units, which check the presence of the product, or through mathematical updating of production data. If the initial relative speeds of all product belts and all container belts, said speeds being predetermined depending on the maximum frequency of a batch, are known, then it is conceivable to provide one single metering device, which scans transversely over the total width of all product belts, to meter the individual products, the arrangement of which is determined from this initial relative speed, which requires the arrangement of the metering device on the fastest moving product belt to be set back as far as possible. In this case, all other combinations of the product belt speeds and the container belt speeds can be calculated by mathematical updating. Due to this metering of the individual products and depending on a deviation from the predetermined maximum frequency for each batch of the transported individual products, for example because the present frequency is lower, due to a disturbance in the prior production of individual products, the current speed of the slowest container belt is adapted in such a way that the simultaneously reached target position is shifted towards the metering position with regard to the outlet of the transfer region. This relocation of the target position enables the transport speed of the containers to be adjusted to the frequency of the presently transported individual products due to their number to fill the containers. This relocation of the target position further enables the interval between the containers to be kept constant, which is advantageous, in particular for the supply of deep-drawn troughs or other containers formed from a film or paper roll and connected in the transfer region.
It is even more advantageous that the at least one forming station and/or the at least one sealing station of a deep-drawing machine to supply deep-drawn troughs can be arranged independently of the transfer region of the automated line. Thus manual work positions or inspection stations can readily be arranged to control or complete the containers.
If several container belts are present, the speed of the container belts can be separately adapted depending on a deviation from the predetermined maximum frequency for each batch of the transported individual products, as is described in claim 2. The simultaneously achieved target position is thus defined separately and set separately with respect to the metering position for each container belt. This is then particularly advantageous if different types of individual products are transported on the product belt and these are transferred into containers depending on the frequency of the transported individual products thereof. Here, it can be required that the target position of a container belt be shifted further towards the metering position because less than the predetermined maximum frequency of a determined type of individual products is transported.
The guiding of a container, which is next to be filled, into the inlet of the transfer region occurs if the number of individual products is determined at the metering positions, which is necessary, according to expectation, for the complete filling of a container relative to the metering position of the fastest moving product belt, as is described in claim 3. In the case of slow moving container belts, the actual number to fill the containers to be filled is the most decisive factor for release. In the case of fast moving container belts, on the other hand, the at most already partial filling of the container is to be taken into account.
If the containers can be supplied at varying intervals, as is the case, for example, for stacked containers, it can be required that the actual guiding of the container into the transfer region and the prior stacking—or another form of container isolation and/or supply—is adapted and adjusted by mathematical updating of the belt feed rate. In the case of the presence of several container belts, the guiding of the containers is adjusted correspondingly for each of these container belts. If need be, here, the guiding can also be determined by the type of individual product.
This type of guiding of the containers causes the containers to reach the target position, which is then valid, i.e. the current target position, at the same time as the individual products required to fill them.
If the containers on at least one container belt are continually formed, for example, of a strong film or paper web and are only separated after being filled, then it is advantageous if the containers are guided at fixed intervals, as is described in claim 4. In the case of the use of packaging or deep-drawing machines as a container belt, mostly packaging material, supplied from the roll, is worked with. The packaging material is here usually formed into trough-shaped or flat containers at fixed intervals, sealed and connected or simultaneously separated with the sealing. It can also be envisaged here, that the container interval is predetermined by the cutting or separating device. It is often also the case that the printing of the packaging materials provides the fixed intervals.
These fixed intervals also determine, however, that, if need be, the insertion robots do not have to work simultaneously, if less than the predetermined maximum frequency for each batch of individual products is transported. It is, however, thus achieved that a sufficient number of containers are able to be guided if, again, more or the predetermined maximum frequency of the individual products is transported.
If the containers on at least one container belt can be supplied separately, then it is advantageous if the containers are supplied at varying intervals, as is described in claim 5. In the use of individual shells, containers or similar, these are mostly de-stacked with a de-stacker or another separating device onto the at least one container belt and supplied to the transfer region. At least one container belt can also be a conveyor belt, which does not provide intervals. They can also be conveyor chains or conveyor belts with attachments. Here the separation of the attachments predetermines an interval from attachment to attachment. Here, it can also be achieved with the omission of attachments that the interval of the containers is altered by a multiple of the separation distance.
If the intervals of the supplied containers are supplied at larger intervals due to a deviation from the provided maximum frequency for each batch of the individual products, then here it is to be taken into account that the shifting of the target position towards the metering position and, accordingly, the current speed of this at least one container belt are likewise determined by these intervals. It is possible that the intervals can be chosen to be so large, that the target position and the relative speed do not have to be altered. Thus it can also be achieved that all insertion robots work simultaneously.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, a characterization with regard to type, weight, size, color or another feature occurs for each introduced individual product, as is described in claim 6. These features of each individual product determine the allocation of the individual product during the transfer in the transfer region to a container transported on a container belt.
Thus the individual products can be transferred into positions of a container, which are allocated to a feature in a defined manner. It is, however, also possible, for example, to form weight-determined containers. This occurs through the combination of the determined features of individual products of different weights and corresponding to the requirements for the total weight and for the number to fill such a weight-determined container.
The features of the individual products can be continuously and dynamically optimized, for example, by means of heuristic optimization methods and the individual products can thus be transferred into containers, if possible without loss, i.e. in particular without addition.
Especially in the case of food products, these often clearly deviate from one another in weight and in size. It can thus be required that a determination of the frequency distribution of the measured feature, for example of the weight of each individual product, occurs, as is described in claim 7. This frequency distribution then determines the guiding of a container, which is next to be filled.
If only one container can be formed in the transfer region, said container being determined by the target weight and the number of individual products contained therein to fill it, and if the average weight of the individual products deviates above or below the average required weight, then the next container to be filled respectively may only be guided, if sufficient individual products with the average required weight are supplied to the transfer region. It can then be required that individual products that are too heavy or too light are not able to be transferred. It can, however, also be the case that different containers can be guided, for example by means of two de-stackers arranged one behind the other, and that the respective container is supplied corresponding to the frequency distribution.
It is particularly advantageous if the guiding of the containers occurs on at least two container belts. The release of the container which is next to be filled onto the respective container belt is then determined by the frequency distribution of the features. In particular, if the interval of the containers on these at least two container belts is variable, it can definitely be the case that the container belts are operated with the same speed and the dispersion of the frequency distribution is compensated for in a targeted manner. If, for example, containers with a target weight of 500 g, which is aimed for after they have been filled with four individual products, are introduced onto one container belt and containers with a target weight of 300 g, which is aimed for after they have been filled with two individual products, are introduced onto the other container belt, it is then possible, accordingly, to transfer all individual products in the case of the average weight of the individual products oscillating between 125 g and 150 g. If the average weight of the supplied individual products deviates upwards, more containers are supplied for filling with 300 g and conversely more 500 g containers are supplied if the average weight deviates downwards. It can, however, be the case that the number, in particular due to a different number to fill the containers, of the individual products transferred into containers differs from one container belt to another container belt and that the target weight is identical. In the case of container belts with a fixed container interval, the target position and the speed of each container belt are additionally to be determined accordingly, depending on the frequency distribution.
A significant efficiency feature of an automated line is the, if possible, complete transfer of the individual products into, if possible, completely filled containers. To that end, a target filling level of the containers is continuously determined for each section of a predeterminable, conceived subdivision of the transfer region, said section being passed through by a container belt, as is described in claim 8. The predeterminable, conceived subdivision of the transfer region is, if possible, chosen precisely, in order thus to achieve an, if possible, continuous filling of the containers. To that end, the target filling level is set in each section depending on the present target position. The target filling level in the respective section corresponds to the quotients from the length of the sections, which have already been passed through, relative to the length of all of the sections arranged in the direction of travel of the containers before the present target position. Thus the current total length of the transfer region, which is determined by the present target position, determines the target filling level and this target filling level is continuously adapted due to the present deviation from the maximum frequency for each batch of the transported individual products. During the transfer of the individual products, no more individual products are transferred into containers in each section in which the filling of the containers has already reached the target filling level.
Thus it is ensured that the individual products are not transferred into containers too early. This is necessary, so that despite different speeds of the product and container belts before the outlet from the transfer region, an empty position in a container for individual products, which have not yet been transferred, is found before the respective present target position is reached. Thus it is further ensured that the guiding of the containers, the transfer of the irregularly transported individual products and the optimization with regard to a feature of the filled containers, for example the total weight of the containers, can largely be decoupled and that the transfer of individual products into each section of the transfer region can be designed in a targeted manner for this optimization.
This cascading is more efficient if the insertion robots, if possible, are distributed evenly along the transfer region, as the length of the work region of an insertion robot does not determine the target filling level at its position.
To achieve an, if possible, complete transfer of the individual products into, if possible, completely filled containers, a target emptying level of the respective product belt is determined for each section, which is passed through by a product belt, of a predeterminable, conceived subdivision of the transfer region, as is described in claim 9. The predeterminable, conceived division of the transfer region is, if possible, chosen precisely, in order to achieve an, if possible, continuous emptying of the respective product belt. To that end, the target emptying level is set for each section of the respective product belt depending on the present deviation from the predetermined maximum frequency for each batch of the transported individual products in this section. The target emptying level corresponds to the deviation from the predetermined maximum frequency for each batch of the transported individual products, said deviation being measured with the quotient from the length of the sections, which have already been passed through, relative to the length of all of the sections arranged in the direction of travel of the containers before the present target position. Thus the current total length of the transfer region, determined by the present target position, determines the target emptying level and this is continuously adapted due to the present deviation from the predetermined frequency for each batch of the transported individual products. Additionally, the original deviation from the predetermined frequency for each batch of the transported individual products is taken into account in each section. During the transfer of the individual products, no more individual products are transferred into containers in each section of the corresponding product belt in which the target emptying level has already been reached.
Thus it is ensured that the individual products are not transferred into containers too early. This is required, so that despite different speeds of the product and container belts before the outlet from the transfer region, sufficient individual products to be transferred into containers which are not yet completely filled are still found respectively before the present target position. Thus it is further ensured that the guiding of the containers, the transfer of the irregularly transported individual products and the optimization with regard to a feature of the filled containers can largely be decoupled and that the transfer of individual products into each section of the transfer region can be designed in a targeted manner for this optimization.
This cascading is more efficient if the insertion robots, if possible, are equally distributed along the transfer region, as the length of the work region of each insertion robot does not determine the target emptying level at its position.
For the purpose of preventing containers that are not completely filled, an intermediately storage can, of course, if necessary, additionally occur or be provided, for example through a subdivision of the product belt in the transfer region, as is described, for example, in
In addition to the definition of the target filling and target empting levels, an optimal transfer rate can be determined in advance for each insertion robot for each batch of individual products due to their maximum frequency of the introduced products or due to other power-determining characteristics. In the actual transfer operation, the transfer rate is adapted due to the individual products situated presently in the work region of each insertion robot and due to the achieved filling level of the containers situated presently in the work region of each insertion robot and due to the emptying of the respective product belt continually with regard to the optimal transfer rate, such that on leaving the work region, if possible, the containers reach their target filling level and that the product belts reach their target emptying level.
Thus it is achieved that, even in the case of a breakdown of an insertion robot, an, if possible, complete filling of the container can be ensured. Thus it is likewise achieved that in the case of the automated line being started after a change of batch, the transfer of the individual product, if possible, quickly achieves the targeted increasing filling level of the containers with individual products.
It is furthermore preferred for the speed of the product belts and the container belts to also be reduced, if the target filling level or the target emptying level in a section of the respective container belt or of the respective product belt is not achieved and the transfer capacity or the rate of the insertion robots is not sufficient in the remaining sections in order to fill the containers completely and to transfer the individual products completely, as is described in claim 10.
This then proves to be particularly advantageous if the frequency of the supplied individual products can be determined in advance. Here, in the case of a breakdown of one or several insertion robots, the required transfer rate of the system can reduced by a reduction of the frequency of the supplied individual products, to such an extent that the rate of the remaining insertion robots is sufficient to transfer all individual products supplied to the transfer region. Also, in the case of arrangements in which the individual products are introduced in several lanes and in which the supply of the individual products can only be regulated in rows, so transversely to the direction of travel of the product belt, a reduction of the speed of the product and container belts proves to be helpful in order to start the system after a batch change. In connection with a cyclical production of the individual products before the actual automated line, advantages additionally result if the number of cycles of the production, and thus the frequency of the transported individual products, is adapted during the start up.
A further improvement results through a two-part embodiment of the product belt or at least of one of the several product belts. Thus the speed of the respective first part, arranged upstream, can be controlled independently of the speed of the second part, as is described in claim 11. The first part, arranged upstream, is arranged completely before the metering position in the direction of travel.
Thus the individual products transported on the first part can be transported more quickly onto the respective second part of the product belt and, accordingly, the containers onto each container belt, and can be distributed in the sections of the individual insertion robots. This proves to be helpful in the case of containers that receive a large number of individual products to fill them, as here a quick transportation of the individual products and the containers after a change of bath is helpful to achieve the desired increasing filling level of the containers in the course of the filling region.
It is particularly advantageous if an additional metering of the individual products occurs on the first part of the product belt respectively, as is described in claim 12. This additional metering is taken into account when determining the speed of the first and of the second part of each product belt.
Thus it is achieved that the speed of the second part of the product belt and of the container belt can be reduced. Such a reduction of these speeds is desired, if the frequency of the individual products supplied to the/each first part clearly falls below the normal transported frequency and in this way it can be ensured that the throughput time of the containers through the transfer region is increased, but that the frequency of the individual products situated in the transfer region can be held, if possible, constantly for each section, which is passed through by a product belt. In the case of a direct connection of the automated line to a production process, a data transmission of the present frequency of the individual products transported from this production process can result in place of the additional metering.
Such an additional metering is additionally helpful if the second part of each product belt and of each container belt can be temporarily stopped, if, in the case of the respective additional metering of the individual products on the first part of the each product belt, no more of such are transported, or if these are temporarily backed up on the first part of each product belt, as is described in claim 13.
Thus it is achieved that the respective optimal target filling level and target emptying level can also be maintained in the case of a gap or a break in the production of individual products. In the case of frequent breaks in the transportation of individual products, it is aimed that each product belt and each container belt can be stopped in the transfer region, as thus the total efficiency of an automated line, operating in synchronization, can clearly be increased.
Further possibilities for use result through a cyclical movement of at least one product belt or at least one container belt, as is described in claim 14.
Through a cyclical movement of the container belt, it can be achieved that intermittently working filling assemblies can also be arranged in the region of this container belt or transversely to the applicators or labelers running in the direction of the belt. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the transportation of the containers occurs directly through a cyclically working packaging machine, in particular through a deep-drawing machine with cyclical formation, filling, sealing and cutting. In order that the respective speed of the product and container belts required due to the deviation from the predetermined maximum frequency for each batch is maintained, each product belt and, if need be, each container belt that does not move cyclically, must accordingly be moved forwards for each cyclical movement of the at least one cyclically moving container belt, in particular for each deduction of a intermittently working packaging machine, by the length which corresponds to the deduction length corrected by the relative speed, so the length of the shift forward of the packaging machine between two cycles.
Cyclically moving product belts are often used in connection with the filling of aseptic liquids. Chocolates introduced in the one-shot method or onto pouring plates are also introduced cyclically.
The metering of the individual products at the metering position on the product belt which transports them can be calculated by mathematically updating metering information calculated upstream, as is described in claim 15. To that end, on the one hand, the production information prior to the respective metering position or a metering prior to the respective metering position can be used.
Insofar as actual metering devices are used, these can be cameras, light sensors, proximity sensors, 3D image processing systems or even weighing devices. The metering device can also extend transversely over several product belts, for example as a line camera, and the information can be updated mathematically onto the individual product belts. In place of metering devices, a data bus for the previous production process of the individual products or for the previous or upcoming controls, can also be present.
By means of the metering device or the production data transmission, if need be, a characterization regarding type, weight, size, color or another feature occurs for each transported individual product.
Furthermore, in the operation, it proves to be advantageous, if, in the case of a discharge of a container from the transfer region of the automated line, a data value corresponding to this container, which corresponds to individual features or a value calculated from these individual features, of the individual products inserted into the container, is simultaneously transmitted, as is described in claim 16. A data value, which is transmitted in this way, can be used in different ways. For example the feature, for example its product number, of each individual product contained in a container can be stored for traceability purposes. If the container should reach a determined target weight, then this target weight, transferred by the automated line as a data value, can be used for test measurement or for continuous correction inside the automated line. Finally, the data value can also be used directly to inscribe and label a container.
Furthermore, the invention relates to an automated line for the batch-by-batch transfer of each batch of at least one type of individual product in at least one type of container, which receives a determined number of individual products to fill it, according to the features of claim 17. In this case, a maximum frequency of the total transported individual products is predeterminable for each batch. The automated line comprises at least two insertion robots, which are arranged in a transfer region between an inlet and an outlet, in order to grip individual products in the transfer region of the automated line individually and transfer them into the containers. Furthermore, the automated line has at least one product belt, on which the individual products are able to be transported, and at least one container belt, on which the containers are able to be transported in synchronization with the individual containers. Furthermore, the automated line has at least one programmable control unit.
The control unit is formed and programmed in such a way that a speed is predeterminable for each product belt and for each container belt, such that each product belt and each container belt has a relative speed allocated to one of the maximum frequencies with regard to a slowest container belt, said relative speed in particular being different from zero.
Thus a metering position is predeterminable for each product belt, in such a way that an individual product, metered at the metering position and not transferred, reaches a target position at the same time as a container guided simultaneously on the slowest container belt in the inlet of the transfer region of the automated line. For this, the or each product belt can have a metering device at the metering position determined in this way. Likewise, also only one metering device can be provided for all product belts, wherein in this case, as is described at the beginning, the corresponding parameters are determinable through mathematical updating. Likewise, as has been mentioned, the metering of the individual products can, for example, be carried out by metering devices such as optical recording devices or through weight devices, which check for the presence of the product. In variants, a metering device is also not necessary, wherein in this case the metering at the metering position can occur through mathematical updating of production data.
The target position is predeterminable in such a way that it coincides with an outlet from the transfer region of the automated line, if each product belt and each container belt is moved with the speed, which is predeterminable depending on each batch.
During the transfer of the individual products, these are able to be metered by the metering device at the metering position corresponding to the product belt on which they are transported. The speed of each container belt is able to be adapted depending on a deviation from the maximum frequency of the transported individual products, in such a way that the simultaneously reached target position is able to be set with regard to the outlet of the transfer region.
By adapting the metering method, it is also conceivable to choose the position of the metering device at another position (lying further behind and against the direction of travel) and to operate the metering device mathematically such that the simultaneous reaching of the target position by the individual products and containers occurs nevertheless in the manner described above.
In particular, the control unit of the automated line is formed and programmed to carry out one of the method variants described above.
It is understood that, in any case, the control unit can also comprise several subunits, which, in particular, can also be distributed or arranged with spatial separation from one another in the automated line. Likewise, a central control unit is also, obviously, conceivable.
Additionally, the control unit has direct or indirect connections with the different components of the automated line, so that these components are controllable according to the method. It is understood that the control unit typically has a storage unit to store method parameters as well as a processing unit for the processing thereof, as well as the processing of, for example, measured values or sensor signals of the components. Likewise, as a rule, an input unit is present, which enables the input of method parameters such as, for example, a maximum frequency of the current batch.
The one or at least one of the several product belts of the automated line can be carried out in two parts in the direction of travel, as is described in claim 18. The speed of the first part, arranged upstream, is controllable independently of the speed of the second part. Thus the first part, arranged upstream, is arranged completely before the metering position in the direction of travel.
Below, the subject matter of the invention is illustrated by means of a preferred exemplary embodiment, which is depicted in the enclosed drawings.
The following are shown:
An embodiment according to the invention is described below in more detail by means of the figures:
In
A container belt 7 runs parallel to the product belt 6 in a direction of travel 16, on which empty and, in further course, partially filled containers 3 are transported. The product belt 6 is propelled with a drive 18 and the container belt 7 is propelled with a drive 19.
Before the beginning of the transfer region of the first insertion robot 4a, the individual products are metered in a metering region 1a by means of a metering device 8. The metering device 8 is connected to controls 11a, 11b, 11c of the insertion robots. In practice, these controls can also be implemented by a single central control, which comprises a processor.
With a container supply 12, for example a container stacker, empty containers are supplied and transferred to the inlet of the container belt 7. In order to control the number and the moment of the container supply, the container supply 12 is also connected to the individual controls 11a, 11b, 11c (or a single control). As far as the containers are already supplied to a container belt, a stopper, which passes transversely over the container belt 7, can be provided at this position in place of the container supply 12, which is to be connected in turn to the control 11 or to the individual controls 11a, 11b, 11c.
Therein, the next empty container 3, which is, if need be, backed up, is always then released, as soon as, according to the metering device 8, such a number of individual products 2 have passed onto the product belt 6, so as to correspond to the number to fill a container 3.
In order that this container, which is next to be filled with individual products 2, now runs parallel to the products, which are determined for it, after being released, the interval between the individual containers, which contain a larger filling number, is chosen to be larger, so that the speed of the container belt can be increased so much that the product belt and the container belt are moved, for example, at the same speed. Such an increase of the interval is mostly not desired. If, for example, if possible, feature-determined containers 3, which for example, weigh the same, are formed from feature-determined individual products 2, which for example do not weigh the same, then here it is desirable to use the largest possible frequency distribution of the features, in this example the individual weight, of the individual products 2 and the containers 3, accordingly, should not be conveyed too quickly through the transfer region 1b.
Accordingly, a top view of an automated line 1 according to the invention is shown in
A container belt 7 runs parallel to the product belt 6, on which empty and, in further course, partially filled containers 3 are transported.
In order that now, however, the speed of the container belt 7 can be reduced so much that all positions in the container 3 can be used by the insertion robots 4a, 4b, 4c, . . . , it is required that the metering of the transported individual products 2 has already occurred before reaching the transfer region 1b, so that an empty container is then always guided by the container supply 12, as soon as, according to the metering device 8 at the metering position, such a number of individual products 2 are transported on the product belt 6, so as to correspond to the number to fill a container 3, which reaches a target position 1c with regard to the outlet from the transfer region 1b at the same time as the position on the product belt 6, on which the individual products 2 are metered by means of the metering device 8. In
In
In
In
A container belt 7 runs parallel to the product belt 6, on which container belt empty and, in further course, partially filled containers 3 are transported. Thus, in
In order that, however, the speed of the container belt 7 can be increased to such an extent that all positions of the containers 3 can be used by the insertion robots 4a, 4b, 4c, . . . , it is required that the metering of the transported individual products 2 take place in the transfer region 1b itself, so that an empty container 3 is then always guided as soon as, according to the metering device 8, a number of individual products 2 have been transported onto the product belt 6, which corresponds to the number that is still necessary for the complete filling of a container 3 according to expectation at the position of the metering device, said containers reaching the target position with regard to the outlet from the transfer region 1b at the same time as the position on the product belt 6, at which the individual products 2 are metered by means of the metering device 8. The length of the metering region 1a corresponds accordingly, for example, to half the length of the transfer region 1b.
The number of individual products 2, which is still needed at the position of the metering device 8 according to expectation for the complete filling of a container 3, can be determined in a different way. On the one hand, the individual products 2, which have already been transferred into a container 3, can be updated by the control 11 in the entire transfer region. A cascaded filling of the containers 3, which enables the metering of the individual products 2 and the release of a container 3, which is next to be filled, to be able to occur without elaborate calculations, also in the case of a metering inside the transfer region 1b itself, proves to be significantly advantageous.
Through the use of a cascaded filling in synchronization, the transfer rate of each individual insertion robot 4a, 4b, 4c, . . . in an automated line 1 can be designed in such a way that an increase of the filling of the containers 3 in the direction of travel 16 of the container belt 7 is ensured independently of the frequency of the transported individual products 2. The filling of the containers 3 is then carried out in such a way that the increase of the filling levels of the containers 3 in the transfer region 1b of the automated line 1, is, consistently and, if possible, exactly maintained by each insertion robot 4a, 4b, 4c . . . . A target filling level is accordingly calculated for each type of individual product 2 and for each corresponding container 3, said target filling level being reached in the work region of the respective insertion robot 4a, 4b, 4c, . . . . As soon as this target filling level is reach by an insertion robot for a container 3 in its work region, this insertion robot interrupts the further filling of this container 3, although, if need be, further individual products 2 are available in its work region.
The insertion robots 4a, 4b, 4c, . . . are outlined in the top view as delta robots. Therein they can also be other quick insertion robots, such as picker, SCARA or comparable kinematics which connect in parallel or in series.
These insertion robots 4a, 4b, 4c, . . . are respectively equipped with a gripping device, for example a sucker, which—after being controlled to a defined position in the horizontal plane by the control 11—is lowered to an individual product 2, which is found here. This then lifts up and lowers into the container 3 after turning around a perpendicular axis corresponding to the desired correct orientation.
In order that the grippers of the insertion robots 4a, 4b, 4c, . . . recognize the individual positions on the product belt 6, which is constantly moving, which positions must be stopped at, each position, at which an individual product 2 is situated, is registered by means of a camera 9a, 9b, 9c, allocated to an insertion robot 4a, 4b, 4c, . . . during the passing of the individual products 2 under the respective camera 9a, 9b, 9c, and the rotary orientation and, if need be, further features such as the weight or color of the individual product 2 are calculated, and are stored in the control 11 and are further processed by taking into account the speed of the belt, which in practice is not always constant.
Furthermore, each individual product 2 that has already been removed from the product belt 6 is likewise taken into account by the control 11, such that the individual products 2, which are still present respectively and are to be transferred, can be transferred by the subsequent insertion robot movements of the insertion robot 4a or the subsequent insertion robots 4b, 4c, . . . .
In a preferred embodiment, the metering device 8 and the cameras 9a, 9b, 9c are compiled into a single camera arranged before the transfer region 1b, said single camera simultaneously serving as a metering device 8 and as a camera 9a, 9b, 9c to determine the position and rotary orientation of the individual products 2 and, if need be, to characterize the individual products 2. By taking into account the speed of the product belt, transferred from the drive 18 of the product belt 6, the position of the metering 1a of the individual products 2 can then be mathematically moved into the position that results from the speed of the product belt 6 and the container belt 7, which is predetermined depending on the batch.
It is also possible, accordingly, to replace the metering device 8 with a data interface for the previous production process. This data interface then transfers the individual products 2, presently supplied from the production. The camera 9a and, if need be, the further cameras 9b and 9c, etc., are then used to determine the position and rotary orientation of the individual products 2 and, if need be, to characterize the individual products 2, or are not necessary.
In
A container belt 7 runs parallel to the product belt 6, on which container belt empty and, in further course, partially filled containers 3 are transported.
In a different manner from that which is shown in
In principle, the compensation belt 21 can also be realized by means of a transport device required for the last production step of the individual products. In the case of baked goods and chocolate, the individual products 2 often pass through the end of a cooling tunnel. The compensation metering device 22 can be arranged here at the inlet of the cooling tunnel. The speed of the compensation belt 21, however, cannot be adapted. In the case of chain guided poultry processing plants, it is also conceivable that the compensation metering and, if need be, also the characterization of the individual products 2 occurs during the actual processing of the poultry and is transmitted to the controls 11a, 11b, 11c or a single control as a data stream via a data bus. If this compensation metering or the data stream is updated accordingly and thus the speed of the cooling belt or the chain guide is taken into account, then the continual adaptation of the speed of the product belt 6 and the container belt 7 occurs due to this updated individual product metering.
In
Three container belts 7a, 7b, 7c are arranged parallel to the three product belts 6a, 6b, 6c. Containers of different sizes are released onto these container belts with regard to different virtual positions 12af, 12bf, 12cf. As soon as these containers have virtually reached a corresponding guiding position 12a, 12b, 12c at the inlet to the transfer region, the containers are physically guided. The release positions 12af, 12bf, 12cf in
The slowest container belt 7a shows a variable container interval. The further container belts (7b, 7c) show a fixed container interval. It is also possible that only containers with a fixed interval are used, wherein then the target position 1c is here also shifted towards the metering position.
The three product belts 6a, 6b, 6c run at different speeds. The fastest product belt 6a is twice as fast as the slowest moving container belt 7a. The slowest product belt 6c, on the other hand, moves only 25% more quickly. Thus different metering positions 8a, 8b, 8c also result.
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. Method for batchwise transferring of, per batch, at least one type of individual products into at least one type of container that receives a determined number of individual products by means of an automated line, which comprises at least two insertion robots, which are arranged in a transfer region between an inlet and an outlet, wherein the individual products are transported irregularly to the inlet of the automated line, in order to transfer them individually into containers in the transfer region of the automated line by the insertion robots, wherein the individual products and the containers are transported in synchronization on a product belt or several product belts and on a container belt or several container belts and wherein for each batch, a maximum frequency of the total transported individual products is predetermined,
- wherein depending on each batch, a speed is predetermined for each product belt and for each container belt, such that each product belt and each container belt have a constant relative speed with regard to a slowest container belt, and furthermore a metering position is predetermined for each product belt, in such a way that an individual product which is metered at the metering position and not transferred reaches a target position at the same time as a container which is simultaneously guided on the slowest container belt into the inlet of the transfer region of the automated line, wherein the target position coincides with an outlet from the transfer region of the automated line, if each product belt and each container belt are moved at the speed which is predetermined depending on each batch,
- wherein, during the transfer, the individual products on each product belt are metered at the corresponding metering position and a current speed of the slowest container belt is adapted depending on a deviation from the predetermined maximum frequency for each batch of the transported individual products in such a way that the simultaneously reached target position is shifted towards the metering position with regard to the outlet of the transfer region.
20. Method according to claim 19, wherein the speed of each container belt is adapted depending on a deviation from the predetermined maximum frequency for each batch of the transported individual products, in such a way that the simultaneously reached target position is set with regard to the outlet of the transfer region towards the metering position and that the simultaneously reached target position for each container belt is adapted separately.
21. Method according to claim 19, wherein the guiding of a container, which is next to be filled, into the inlet of the transfer region occurs when, at the metering position or the metering positions of the product belt or of the product belts, the number of individual products was detected which is still needed, according to expectation, for the complete filling of a container at the metering position of the fastest moving product belt.
22. Method according to claim 19, wherein the guiding of the containers to be filled on the container belt or on at least one of the several container belts occurs at fixed intervals.
23. Method according to claim 19, wherein the guiding of the containers to be filled on the container belt or on at least one of the several container belts occurs at variable intervals and the current speed of this container belt or these container belts is determined by these variable intervals.
24. Method according to claim 19, wherein a characterization according to type, weight, size, color and/or another feature of each transported individual product occurs and the transfer of the individual products into a transported container occurs depending on these features.
25. Method according to claim 24, wherein a determination of the frequency distribution of these determined features occurs and the guiding of a container, which is next to be filled, occurs depending on this frequency distribution.
26. Method according to claim 19, wherein a target filling level of the containers is continuously determined for each section of a predeterminable, conceived subdivision of the transfer region, which is passed through by the container belt or the several container belts, and the target filling level of the containers in each section is set depending on the present target position, and wherein the target filling level corresponds to the quotient in the respective section of the length of the sections that have already been passed through and the length of all sections arranged in the direction of travel before the present target position, wherein, preferably, no more individual products are transferred into containers in a section if the filling of the containers has already reached the target filling level in this section.
27. Method according to claim 19, wherein a target emptying level of the respective product belt is determined for each section of a predeterminable, conceived subdivision of the transfer region, which is passed through by the product belt or the several product belts, and the target emptying level for each section of the product belt is set depending on the deviation from the predetermined maximum frequency for each batch of the transported individual products in this section, and wherein the target emptying level corresponds to the quotient in the respective section of the length of the sections that have already been passed through and the length of all sections arranged in the direction of travel before the present target position, wherein, preferably, no more individual products are transferred into containers in a section, if the target emptying level in this section is reached.
28. Method according to claim 26, wherein the speed of the product belt or of the several product belts and/or of the container belt or of the several container belts is reduced, if the target filling level and/or the target emptying level is not reached in a section of the respective container belt or of the respective product belt and the transfer capacity of the insertion robots in the remaining sections is not sufficient to completely fill the containers and to completely transfer the individual products.
29. Method according to claim 19, wherein the product belt or at least one of the several product belts is embodied in two parts in the direction of travel and that the speed of the first part, arranged upstream, is controlled independently of the speed of the second part and the first part, arranged upstream, is arranged completely before the metering position in the direction of travel.
30. Method according to claim 29, wherein on the first part of each product belt, which is embodied in two parts, an additional metering of the individual products occurs and the control of the speeds of the first and of the second part of the product belt occurs depending on this additional metering.
31. Method according to claim 30, wherein each product belt is embodied in two parts in the direction of travel and that each container belt and the second part of each product belt are stopped temporarily, if no more individual products are transported according to the additional metering of the individual products on the first part of each product belt or if the individual products are backed-up here.
32. Method according to claim 19, wherein the container belt or at least one of the several container belts and/or the product belt or at least one of the several product belts is moved cyclically.
33. Method according to claim 19, wherein the metering of the individual products at the metering position of at least one product belt or the several product belts occurs through mathematical updating of one of the metering positions prior to the product data transmission or a metering prior to the metering position of the individual products.
34. Method according to claim 19, wherein during discharge of a container at the outlet of the transfer region of the automated line, a data value corresponding to this container is simultaneously transmitted, which corresponds to the individual features or a value calculated from these individual features of the individual products inserted into the containers.
35. Automated line for the batchwise transfer of, per batch, at least one type of individual product into at least one type of container which receives a determined number of individual products, wherein a maximum frequency of the total transported individual products is predeterminable for each batch, comprising wherein, during the transfer, the individual products on each product belt can be metered at the corresponding metering position and a current speed of the slowest container belt is adaptable depending on a deviation from the predetermined maximum frequency for each batch of the transported individual products, in such a way that the simultaneously reached target position can be shifted towards the metering positions with regard to the inlet of the transfer region.
- at least two insertion robots, arranged in a transfer region between an inlet and an outlet, in order to grip individual products individually in the transfer region of the automated line and transfer them into the containers,
- at least one product belt on which the individual products can be transported,
- at least one container belt on which the containers are transported in synchronization with the individual products,
- at least one programmable control unit for controlling the automated line, wherein the control unit is formed and programmed in such a way that depending on each batch,
- a speed is predeterminable for each product belt and for each container belt, such that each product belt and each container belt has a constant relative speed with regard to a slowest container belt, and furthermore
- a metering position is predeterminable for each product belt in such a way that
- an individual product which is metered at the metering position and not transferred reaches a target position at the same time as a container which is simultaneously guided on the slowest container belt into the inlet of the transfer region of the automated line,
- wherein the target position is predeterminable in such a way that it coincides with the outlet of the transfer unit of the automated line, if each product belt and each container belt is moved at the speed that is predeterminable depending on each batch,
36. (canceled)
37. Automated line according to claim 35, wherein the product belt or at least one of the several product belts is embodied in two parts in the direction of travel and that the speed of the first part, arranged upstream, can be controlled independently of the speed of the second part and the first part, arranged upstream, is arranged completely before the metering position in the direction of travel.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 1, 2013
Publication Date: May 8, 2014
Inventor: Matthias Ehrat (Lohn)
Application Number: 14/070,449
International Classification: B65B 5/06 (20060101);
