[go: up one dir, main page]

WO2011029947A1 - Sectional unscrambler apparatus - Google Patents

Sectional unscrambler apparatus Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2011029947A1
WO2011029947A1 PCT/EP2010/063432 EP2010063432W WO2011029947A1 WO 2011029947 A1 WO2011029947 A1 WO 2011029947A1 EP 2010063432 W EP2010063432 W EP 2010063432W WO 2011029947 A1 WO2011029947 A1 WO 2011029947A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
carousel
portions
cradle
cone
divided
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/EP2010/063432
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Mario Lanfranchi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Lanfranchi SRL
Original Assignee
Lanfranchi SRL
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Lanfranchi SRL filed Critical Lanfranchi SRL
Publication of WO2011029947A1 publication Critical patent/WO2011029947A1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/02—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors
    • B65G47/04—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles
    • B65G47/12—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles
    • B65G47/14—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding
    • B65G47/1407—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl
    • B65G47/1414—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl by means of movement of at least the whole wall of the container
    • B65G47/1428—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl by means of movement of at least the whole wall of the container rotating movement
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/02—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors
    • B65G47/04—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles
    • B65G47/12—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles
    • B65G47/14—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding
    • B65G47/1407—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl
    • B65G47/1442—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl by means of movement of the bottom or a part of the wall of the container
    • B65G47/1457—Rotating movement in the plane of the rotating part
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G2201/00—Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled
    • B65G2201/02—Articles
    • B65G2201/0235—Containers
    • B65G2201/0244—Bottles
    • B65G2201/0247—Suspended bottles

Definitions

  • the present invention finds application in the field of devices or apparatus for unscrambling and aligning bulk empty plastic containers or preforms, i.e. cartridges from which plastic bottles are formed by particular heating and blow molding steps.
  • the invention relates to the particular method of assembling the parts of the apparatus for improved transport thereof at lower costs.
  • These unscramblers comprise a first cradle carousel, that rotates about a vertical axis of rotation, and lifting means, known as lifters, that carry the containers dropped from a central cone, to a higher level, and drop them out while straightening them within a second carousel, a separator carousel, where they fall in upright position, and come out of it in aligned form, on a conveyor line.
  • lifting means known as lifters
  • the object of the present invention is to obviate the above drawbacks by providing a container unscrambling apparatus that can be broken down into portions or subparts, to be later reassembled by means of mechanical connections .
  • the parts into which the unscramble apparatus may be divided relate to the cradle carousel, the separator carousel and the distribution cone for distributing bulk containers, and provide the advantage of allowing standard-size shipments, without requiring extra transport charges and afford cost savings.
  • junction lines Once the subparts have reached their destination, they will be joined together in junction lines, and conveniently fixed by mechanical connections .
  • Figure 1 a general view of a prior art plastic container unscrambler apparatus , which is divided into rotating parts according to the present invention
  • Figure 3 a top view of the cradle carousel in a disassembled configuration
  • Figure 4 the division of the carousels of the unscrambler machine
  • Figure 5 the central container dropping cone and the division thereof.
  • numeral 10 generally designates an unscrambler apparatus for unscrambling and aligning incoming bulk containers or preforms .
  • the apparatus 10 comprises at least one first carousel 1 known as cradle carousel, because it has a plurality of housings along its periphery; the whole apparatus 10 rotates about a vertical center axis of rotation .
  • a second carousel 2 known as separator carousel, is concentric with the first carousel and external thereto; the carousel 1 is higher to allow the lifting means 4, i.e. the lifters, to carry the cradles to a higher level (by cams or similar means , from which the containers are discharged toward the external carousel 2) .
  • Bulk containers are caused to slide toward the periphery of the carousel 1 by means of a central cone 5.
  • the containers fall in upright positions on the separator carousel 2, so that they can come out in aligned form, e.g. picked up by a suction star wheel conveyor .
  • both the carousels 1 and 2 and the central cone have large sizes , requiring particular non-standard transport conditions, with special permits and services being requested that considerably increase transport costs for these apparatus.
  • the apparatus 10 may be divided into portions or subparts, and be later reassembled simply by mechanical connections; particularly, the parts obtained by breaking down the unscrambler apparatus relate to the cradle carousel 1 , the separator carousel 2 and the distribution cone 5, for distributing bulk containers; the other parts may be also disassembled and contained in standard containers.
  • the cradle carousel, the separator carousel and the distribution cone may be broken down into subparts or portions , designated in the figures as 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 51, 52, 53; these subparts or portions are defined by separation lines LI, L2 , L3, L4 , L5, L6 that are specially designed to obtain relatively small sizes, adapted to fall within standard transport sizes .
  • the separation lines LI , L2 , L3 , L4 , L5 , L6 are approximately linear, so that the carousels may be divided into arch segments and the cone may be divided into three distinct portions.
  • the two end portions 11 defined between the radial separation lines LI, L2 are shown to be joined to the central disk 15 or inner wheel of the carousel, whereas the two lateral portions 12 and 13 are separated both from the ends 11 and from the central disk or wheel to be reconnected by means such as mechanical connections on said junction lines.
  • the description of the cradle carousel 1 also applies to the separator carousel 2 whereas the central cone 5 is not divided along a radial separation line like LI or L2 , but by two linear cuts on the disk, designated in Figure 5 as L5 and L6; the size defined between L5 and L6 still fits in a standard container, as was noted for the carousels .

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Crucibles And Fluidized-Bed Furnaces (AREA)
  • Paper (AREA)
  • Blow-Moulding Or Thermoforming Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
  • Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)

Abstract

A sectional unscrambler apparatus (10) for unscrambling and aligning plastic containers, or preforms, which comprises a cradle carousel (1), a separator carousel (2) and a distribution cone (5) that can be broken down into subparts or portions (11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 51, 52, 53), defined by separation lines (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6) to obtain a size smaller than the maximum size of a standard transport container. The cradle carousel (1) has two end portions (11) defined between the radial separation lines (L1, L2), said portions (11) being joined to the central disk or inner wheel of the carousel, and also has two lateral portions (12) and (13) that may be separated both from the ends (11) and from the central disk or wheel to be reconnected by means such as mechanical connections on said junction lines. The carousel (2) is divided in the same manner as said carousel (1), whereas the central cone (5) is divided along two linear cutting lines (L5) and (L6).

Description

TITLE: SECTIONAL UNSCRAMBLER APPARATUS
DESCRIPTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention finds application in the field of devices or apparatus for unscrambling and aligning bulk empty plastic containers or preforms, i.e. cartridges from which plastic bottles are formed by particular heating and blow molding steps.
Namely, the invention relates to the particular method of assembling the parts of the apparatus for improved transport thereof at lower costs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has been long known to use unscramble apparatus for unscrambling and aligning bulk containers ; patent EP1233919 is an example thereof.
These unscramblers comprise a first cradle carousel, that rotates about a vertical axis of rotation, and lifting means, known as lifters, that carry the containers dropped from a central cone, to a higher level, and drop them out while straightening them within a second carousel, a separator carousel, where they fall in upright position, and come out of it in aligned form, on a conveyor line.
These unscrambler apparatus have the drawback of a large size, requiring particular transport conditions, both for road and ship transport: special permits have to be requested due to such size, and the service companies will be required to provide special services , which will considerably increase the transport costs for these apparatus .
SUMMARY AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to obviate the above drawbacks by providing a container unscrambling apparatus that can be broken down into portions or subparts, to be later reassembled by means of mechanical connections .
Particularly, the parts into which the unscramble apparatus may be divided, relate to the cradle carousel, the separator carousel and the distribution cone for distributing bulk containers, and provide the advantage of allowing standard-size shipments, without requiring extra transport charges and afford cost savings.
Once the subparts have reached their destination, they will be joined together in junction lines, and conveniently fixed by mechanical connections .
These objects and advantages are achieved by the sectional unscrambler apparatus of the present invention, which is characterized by the annexed claims .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
This and other features will be more apparent from the following description of a few embodiments, which are shown by way of example and without limitation in the accompanying drawings .
Figure 1: a general view of a prior art plastic container unscrambler apparatus , which is divided into rotating parts according to the present invention,
Figure 2 : the cradle carousel
Figure 3 : a top view of the cradle carousel in a disassembled configuration
Figure 4 : the division of the carousels of the unscrambler machine
Figure 5 : the central container dropping cone and the division thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Particularly referring to Figure 1, numeral 10 generally designates an unscrambler apparatus for unscrambling and aligning incoming bulk containers or preforms .
Namely, the apparatus 10 comprises at least one first carousel 1 known as cradle carousel, because it has a plurality of housings along its periphery; the whole apparatus 10 rotates about a vertical center axis of rotation . A second carousel 2 , known as separator carousel, is concentric with the first carousel and external thereto; the carousel 1 is higher to allow the lifting means 4, i.e. the lifters, to carry the cradles to a higher level (by cams or similar means , from which the containers are discharged toward the external carousel 2) .
Bulk containers are caused to slide toward the periphery of the carousel 1 by means of a central cone 5.
The containers fall in upright positions on the separator carousel 2, so that they can come out in aligned form, e.g. picked up by a suction star wheel conveyor .
Both carousels 1 and 2 and the cone 5 rotate and are supported by fifth wheels 6 and 7 as shown in Figure 1.
As mentioned above, both the carousels 1 and 2 and the central cone have large sizes , requiring particular non-standard transport conditions, with special permits and services being requested that considerably increase transport costs for these apparatus.
The apparatus 10 may be divided into portions or subparts, and be later reassembled simply by mechanical connections; particularly, the parts obtained by breaking down the unscrambler apparatus relate to the cradle carousel 1 , the separator carousel 2 and the distribution cone 5, for distributing bulk containers; the other parts may be also disassembled and contained in standard containers.
These subparts may be joined together in their junction lines, and conveniently fixed by mechanical connections .
In practice, the cradle carousel, the separator carousel and the distribution cone may be broken down into subparts or portions , designated in the figures as 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 51, 52, 53; these subparts or portions are defined by separation lines LI, L2 , L3, L4 , L5, L6 that are specially designed to obtain relatively small sizes, adapted to fall within standard transport sizes .
The separation lines LI , L2 , L3 , L4 , L5 , L6 are approximately linear, so that the carousels may be divided into arch segments and the cone may be divided into three distinct portions.
For instance, referring to the cradle carousel designated by reference 1 in Figures 3 and 4 , the two end portions 11 defined between the radial separation lines LI, L2 , are shown to be joined to the central disk 15 or inner wheel of the carousel, whereas the two lateral portions 12 and 13 are separated both from the ends 11 and from the central disk or wheel to be reconnected by means such as mechanical connections on said junction lines.
The description of the cradle carousel 1 also applies to the separator carousel 2 whereas the central cone 5 is not divided along a radial separation line like LI or L2 , but by two linear cuts on the disk, designated in Figure 5 as L5 and L6; the size defined between L5 and L6 still fits in a standard container, as was noted for the carousels .

Claims

1. An unscrambler apparatus (10) for unscrambling and aligning incoming bulk plastic containers or preforms on a central cone (5), which comprises: a. at least one first carousel (1) known as cradle carousel, because it has a plurality of housings along its periphery;
b. a central vertical axis of rotation;
c. a second carousel (2) , known as separator carousel, which is concentric with the carousel (1) ;
d. lifting means (4) for lifting the containers or preforms loaded in cradles of the carousel (1) and discharge said containers toward the external carousel (2) ,
characterized in that the cradle carousel (1) , the separator carousel (2) and the distribution cone (5) can be broken down into subparts or portions (11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 51, 52, 53), defined by separation lines (LI, L2 , L3, L4 , L5, L6) to obtain a size smaller than the maximum size of a standard transport container .
- the cradle carousel (1) has two end portions (11) defined between the radial separation lines (LI, L2) , said portions (11) being joined to the central disk or inner wheel of the carousel, and also has two lateral portions (12) and (13) that may be separated both from the ends (11) and from the central disk or wheel to be reconnected by means such as mechanical connections on said junction lines.
- the carousel (2) is divided in the same manner as said carousel (1) , whereas the central cone (5) is divided along two linear cutting lines (L5) and (L6) .
2. An apparatus (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that he separation lines (LI, L2 , L3, L4 , L5, L6) are approximately linear, so that the carousels may be divided into arch segments and the cone may be divided into at least three distinct portions .
PCT/EP2010/063432 2009-09-14 2010-09-14 Sectional unscrambler apparatus Ceased WO2011029947A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000072A ITPR20090072A1 (en) 2009-09-14 2009-09-14 UNBELIEVABLE ORDERING SYSTEM
ITPR2009A000072 2009-09-14

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2011029947A1 true WO2011029947A1 (en) 2011-03-17

Family

ID=42115911

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2010/063432 Ceased WO2011029947A1 (en) 2009-09-14 2010-09-14 Sectional unscrambler apparatus

Country Status (2)

Country Link
IT (1) ITPR20090072A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2011029947A1 (en)

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1233919A1 (en) 1999-02-22 2002-08-28 Lanfranchi S.R.L. Safety device for machines for aligning containers, in particular polyethylene bottles
US20030010605A1 (en) * 2001-07-13 2003-01-16 Baird Randy K. Rotary orienting feeder

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1233919A1 (en) 1999-02-22 2002-08-28 Lanfranchi S.R.L. Safety device for machines for aligning containers, in particular polyethylene bottles
EP1233919B1 (en) * 1999-02-22 2004-03-31 Lanfranchi S.R.L. Safety device for machines for aligning containers, in particular polyethylene bottles
US20030010605A1 (en) * 2001-07-13 2003-01-16 Baird Randy K. Rotary orienting feeder

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITPR20090072A1 (en) 2011-03-15

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP2499069B1 (en) Unscrambling machine for containers and relative process
US9776751B2 (en) Cup feeder
CN101657368B (en) Container transfer device having transfer guiding member
US20090139836A1 (en) Apparatus and Process for Unscrambling and Aligning Bulk Plastic Containers
US20120199442A1 (en) Turning wheel
EP3573911B1 (en) Destacker wheel
US20080060912A1 (en) Adjustable transfer unit for transferring upright and aligned articles from a first to a second conveyor
US20100193325A1 (en) Method of conveying preforms and high speed device for tipping preforms
EP1652801B1 (en) Article orienting apparatus
US8051971B2 (en) Apparatus and method for positioning articles, comprising multiple unloading operations per cycle
US8297431B2 (en) Apparatus for unscrambling and aligning bulk plastic containers
WO2011029947A1 (en) Sectional unscrambler apparatus
JP2016050094A (en) Transport device
US12258159B2 (en) Machine for making capsules
CN103261036A (en) Article -handling machine
US20170088407A1 (en) Method of handling and transferring containers lined up in a sorting machine to an underlying filler and apparatus thus obtained
EP1209103A1 (en) Machine for orienting and aligning plastic containers of varying size
CN112978656B (en) Device for introducing or removing containers and container treatment device
US6591964B1 (en) Machine for orienting containers
EP3891087B1 (en) Device, facility and method for ejecting products
US10273135B2 (en) Machine for filling containers
WO2020108903A1 (en) Process for transferring a container made of thermoplastic material having a polygonal bottom, for example rectangular or square, from a withdrawal point of a first rotating unit to a delivering point of a second rotating unit
WO2009027946A1 (en) Filling arrangement
WO2025117647A1 (en) Orientation module with turning members for turning articles having different dimensions
WO2016103157A1 (en) Method for moving containers selected or aligned in an orienting machine and apparatus thus attained

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 10760639

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 10760639

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1