WO2012091585A1

WO2012091585A1 - Method and apparatus for filling trays for the storage of rod-shaped articles

Info

Publication number: WO2012091585A1
Application number: PCT/PL2011/050051
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ryszard FERENSZTAJN
Original assignee: International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp zoo
Current assignee: International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp zoo
Priority date: 2010-12-27
Filing date: 2011-12-21
Publication date: 2012-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 2013-06-27
Also published as: PL215970B1; PL393437A1

Abstract

The object of the invention is a method and an apparatus for filling trays for the storage of rod-shaped articles wherein the feeding of rod-shaped articles from a container of articles to a tray takes place by alternate shifting of a filling device, comprising a first set of bars(4) promoting the flow of articles and a second set of bars(5) blocking the flow of articles,between an open configuration which makes the flow of articles through the filling device(1, 101) during tray filling possible, and a closed configuration which interrupts the flow of articles through the filling device (1, 101), wherein the shift of the filling device takes place by moving sets of bars (2, 102) and(3, 103)relative to each other. A method according to the invention is characterized in that after shifting the filling device(1, 101) to the closed configuration the bars of a first and/or second set (2, 102, 3, 103) of bars (4, 5) are turned in order to remove articles situated between the bars (4, 5) of the first and the second set(2, 102, 3, 103) of bars.

Description

Method and apparatus for filling trays for the storage of rod-shaped articles

The object of the invention is a method and an apparatus for filling trays for the storage of rod-shaped articles being products of the tobacco industry.

In the tobacco industry, tray fillers for filling trays with tobacco industry products such as cigarettes, filter rods, cigars, cigarillos etc. are commonly used. Such products, in this description also referred to as rod-shaped articles, are temporarily stored in both single-chamber and multi- segment trays. Filled trays are placed in stores or left by production lines for the purpose of filling up lacking articles in case of an output drop or a stoppage of machines supplying the products. The basic requirement is the arrangement of articles parallel to each other within the entire tray in case of a single-chamber tray or within each of the segments in case of a multi-segment tray. The multi-segment tray is hereinafter also referred to as multi-chamber tray. The task of parallel arrangement of articles is performed by known tray filling devices provided with two movable rows of bars, with the bars in one of the rows being rotatable.

From the US patent no. 4,489,534 an apparatus for filling trays is known, such apparatus has two sets of bars mounted on two beams in the form of two rows. Bars in the bottom row mounted on the beam make reciprocating motions crosswise to upper bars. The upper row of bars on the second beam also makes reciprocating motions, transverse relative to the bottom row of bars. During a break in filling, the bars of the upper row are disposed in spaces between bars of the bottom row. For the time of tray filling the bars in the upper row are disposed directly above the bars of the bottom row. Once the filling is completed the bars of the upper row are disposed again in spaces between the bars of the bottom row in order to interrupt the flow of articles through the filling apparatus. The apparatus presented in the US patent 4,487,001 works similarly.

The DE 198 29 735 document has disclosed a filling apparatus provided with sets of bars disposed in two rows. The bars in the upper row make rotational motions, which promotes the flow of articles through the filling apparatus, whereas the bars both in the bottom and the upper row simultaneously make reciprocating motions.

The EP 1 955604 B1 has disclosed a filling apparatus designed for filling multi-segment trays. It operates on a similar principle as the apparatus of the DE 198 29 735, however, it is divided into several sections cooperating with respective segments of the tray, and the number of sections corresponds to the number of segments.

In case of both single-chamber and multi-segment trays the flow of rod-shaped articles through the filling apparatus may be divided into multiple flows of individual articles, i.e. such flows in which the articles move one after another between the bars of the filling apparatus. The flows of individual articles taken together give the total flow of articles to the tray. Each of the devices presented above has two bar configurations - closed and open. The apparatus is shifted to the open configuration for the time of tray filling, and then, once the filling is completed, is shifted to the closed configuration in which the flow of articles is interrupted.

A drawback of disclosed and commonly used filling devices based on relative motions of sets of bars is pinching and immobilizing articles which at the moment of making a relative motion interrupting the flow were partly in the range of motion of bars of the filling apparatus. In consequence of such an occurrence the filling apparatus is not properly prepared to start a successive filling cycle. Articles immobilized during one filling cycle disturb the start of a successive filling cycle since the flow of articles in the area in which the blocking of articles occurred may start with delay, and in addition flowing articles may arrange non-parallel to each other. It happens that immobilized articles partly protrude downwards beneath the filling apparatus and may by themselves fall into the machine rather than into the tray or may be pushed out of the apparatus by a next empty tray fed for filling.

The object of this invention is to work out a method and an apparatus for filling trays for the storage of rod-shaped articles, comprising the preparation of the filling apparatus for a successive filling cycle, consisting in the removal of articles immobilized in the filling apparatus during flow interruption.

The subject matter of the invention is a method of filling trays for the storage of rod-shaped articles wherein feeding of rod-shaped articles from an article container to a tray is performed by alternate shifting of a filling apparatus, comprising a first set of bars promoting the flow of articles and a second set of bars blocking the flow of articles, between an open configuration which makes the flow of articles through the filling apparatus during tray filling possible and a closed configuration which interrupts the flow of articles through the filling device. The shift of the filling apparatus takes place by moving both sets of bars relative to each other.

A method according to the invention is characterized in that after shifting a filling apparatus to the closed configuration the bars of a first and/or second set of bars are turned in order to remove articles situated between the bars of the first and second set of bars .

A method according to the invention is characterized in that the bars promoting the flow are turned clockwise.

A method according to the invention is characterized in that the bars promoting the flow are turned anticlockwise.

A method according to the invention is characterized in that the bars promoting the flow are turned first clockwise, and then anticlockwise.

A method according to the invention is characterized in that the bars promoting the flow are turned first anticlockwise, and then clockwise.

A method according to the invention is characterized in that additionally the bars blocking the flow are turned first anticlockwise, and then clockwise.

A method according to the invention is characterized in that additionally the bars blocking the flow are turned first clockwise, and then anticlockwise.

A method according to the invention is characterized in that the bars promoting the flow are turned by at least one fourth of a full turn, preferably by one turn and most preferably by one and a half turns.

A method according to the invention is characterized in that the bars blocking the flow are turned by a half-turn at most, preferably by one fourth of a turn and most preferably by one sixth of a turn. A method according to the invention is characterized in that the bars are turned synchronically and in phase with each other.

The subject matter of the invention is also an apparatus for filing trays for the storage of rod-shaped articles, comprising a container for articles fed to the tray and alternately shifted filling device which comprises a first set of bars promoting the flow of articles and a second set of bars blocking the flow of articles. The filling device is shifted between an open configuration which makes the flow of articles through the filing device during tray filling possible and a closed configuration which interrupts the flow of articles through the filling device, and the sets of bars are adapted to shifting relative to each other.

An apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the bars are adapted to making a turn after shifting the filling device to the closed configuration, and is provided with a controller adapted to implement the method according to the invention.

An apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the bars have a polygonal cross-section.

An apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the bars are positioned in phase to each other.

A method according to the invention is useful for filling trays with rod-shaped articles, particularly of a small diameter. Usually, the mechanism of the filling device is prepared for easy replacement of components directly cooperating with articles flowing through the device; the dimensions of such components depend on the dimensions of rod-shaped articles. However, articles of a small diameter tend to easily slide between the bars of the filling mechanism at the moment when it is being closed in view of the fact that they are easier to deform. The method according to the invention ensures that articles which at the moment of shifting the filling device to the closed configuration have been immobilized within the filling device are not thrown into the machine, but are thrown into the tray. In addition, it is possible to pull out an immobilized article from between the bars of the device above the bars of the device and to add it to other articles waiting for feeding to the next tray. The method according to the invention eliminates the risk that an immobilized article at a certain moment falls down itself under the influence of vibrations coming from machine mechanisms or, if it protrudes slightly beneath the bars, is hit or damaged by a next empty tray fed for filling. Furthermore, it turned out that the method according to the invention helps removing so- called ..bridges" forming above gaps between the bars of the filling device so that in the next filling cycle the flows of individual articles are activated simultaneously because the space just above each blocking bar contains a rod-shaped article. Shifting the filling device from closed to open configuration in order to start a next filling cycle will cause that all articles which were in contact with blocking bars simultaneously fall into the tray to be filled.

The object of the invention in embodiments is shown in a drawing in which

Fig. 1 - shows a cross-section through bars of the filling device for a single-chamber tray in the closed configuration within a single-chamber tray in a planar projection, Fig. 2 - the filling device of Fig. 1 in the open configuration in a perspective view,

Fig. 3 - cross-section through bars of the filling device for a multi-segment tray in the closed configuration within a multi-segment tray in a planar projection, Fig. 4 - the filling device of Fig. 3 in the open configuration in a perspective view, Fig. 5 - cross-section through bars of a filling device in the first embodiment in the open configuration,

Fig. 6 - cross-section through bars of the filling device of Fig. 5 in the closed configuration, Fig. 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9 - cross-section through bars of the filling device of Fig. 5 in the closed configuration during preparation of the device for successive filling cycle, Fig. 10 - cross-section through bars of a filling device in the second embodiment in the open configuration,

Fig. 11 - cross-section through bars of the filling device of Fig. 10 in the closed configuration,

Fig. 12a, 12b, 13, 14 - cross-section through bars of the filling device of Fig. 10 in the closed configuration during preparation of the device for a successive filling cycle, Fig. 15, 16 - cross-section through bars of a filling device in the third embodiment,

Fig. 17 - tray filler adapted to a multi-segment tray.

An embodiment of a filling device 1 for a single-chamber tray 9 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 consists of a set 2 of bars 4 promoting the flow of rod-shaped articles 8 and a set 3 of bars 5 blocking the flow of the articles 8, wherein the bars 4 of the set 2 are swivel-mounted on a beam 6, and the bars 5 of the set 3 are fixed permanently on a horizontally movable beam 7. In the shown embodiment the bars 4 promoting the flow have a square cross-section with rounded comers. The task of the bars 4 promoting the flow of the articles 8 is gentle hitting with their lateral surfaces in articles 8 situated above and next to the bars 4, which results in the removal of the so-called ..bridges" formed of adjacent articles above the bars of the filling device and protects against their formation. Obviously, other embodiments of the bars 4 are possible, e.g. in the form of bars with hexagonal cross-section and with grooved lateral surfaces. The bars 5 may take two positions; the position shown in Fig. 1 is a flow blocking position in which each bar 5 promoting the flow is situated directly opposite the through spaces between the bars 4 through which the articles 8 flow during filling. Such disposition of bars of the filling device is called closed configuration. During tray filling the bars 5 are situated in their second position (Fig. 2) in which they are disposed in principle directly below the bars 4, which makes the flow of the articles 8 between the bars 4 and between the bars 5 possible. Such disposition of bars of the filling device is called open configuration. In the presented embodiment the bars 5 have been shown as bars with a quadrangular cross-section; the bars may have a generally polygonal as well as a circular or oval cross-section.

An embodiment of a filling device 101 for a multi-chamber tray 10 shown in Fig. 3 and Fig.

4 consists of a set 102 of bars 4 promoting the flow of rod-shaped articles 8 and a set 103 of bars

5 blocking the flow of the articles 8 wherein the bars 4 of the set 102 are swivel-mounted on a beam 6, and the bars 5 of the set 103 are fixed permanently on a beam 7. The filling device 101 consists of multiple sections 201 whose number corresponds to the number of chambers 11 of the tray 10. Similarly to the filling device 1 , the device 101 may be shifted to the open or closed configuration, with the shift taking place simultaneously for all sections 201 , and the position of the bars 4 and 5 relative to each other being the same as in case of a single-chamber tray.

Before the start of the filling process an empty single-chamber tray 9 is positioned most frequently in a known way (Fig. 1) so that the bottom of the tray 9 is under the stationary filling device 1 , in other words, the filling device 1 is placed within the tray 9. In order to start the filling process, the filling device 1 is shifted to the open configuration, after shifting the filling device begins a downstroke of the tray 9, which makes feeding rod-shaped articles 8 flowing between the bars of the filling device 1 into the tray 9 possible. Once the tray 9 has been filled, the filling device 1 is shifted to the closed configuration.

In Fig. 3 the filling device 101 designed for filling a multi-chamber tray has been shown within the upper part of the tray 10. In this case, filling of the tray 10 will proceed as described in the PL393103 patent application, i.e. the filling device 101 in the closed configuration shown in Fig. 3 will be shifted down the tray 10 just above the tray bottom, with each section 201 moving within a separate chamber 11. Such a shift of the filling device 101 allows to feed rod-shaped articles 8 into the chambers of the tray 10. After shifting to the open configuration the filling device 101 moves upwards, with rod-shaped articles 8 flowing between the bars of the filling device 101. After reaching its upper position, the filling device 101 will be shifted to the closed configuration, which ends the filling process of the tray 10 which will be taken away, and in its place a next empty tray will be fed.

Fig. 5 shows a fragment of the filling device 1 , 101 in the open configuration in which the blocking bars 5 are situated in principle directly below the bars 4 promoting the flow, and the bars 4 make alternately oscillatory rotational motions. The situation shown in Fig. 5 corresponds to the filling stage of both a single-chamber and a multi-chamber tray being a fragment of the working cycle of a tray filler, executed by a controller of the filler.

Fig. 6 shows the filling device in a situation when the articles 108 and 208 after shifting the set 3, 103 of bars 5 were squeezed and immobilized between the bars 104 and 105 and between the bars 204 and 205, respectively, in the course of shifting the filling device 1 , 101 from the open to closed configuration. In the working cycle of the tray filler executed by the controller after the interruption of the flow of articles 8 through the filling device 1 , 101 all bars 4 promoting the flow are turned clockwise about their axis of rotation in Fig. 7a. Preferable one and a half turns is made, however, one turn is enough for correct operation of the device, and in case of articles which do not tend to form bridges one fourth of a full turn is enough. As a result of such a turn the blocked article 108 will be removed and thrown into the tray 9, 10. Most probably, the article 208 which has been only partly gripped by the bars of the filling device will not be thrown into the tray. Fig. 7b shows one of the bars 4 promoting the flow of rod-shaped articles 8 through the filling device 1 , 101 and one of the blocking bars 5 which in the course of shifting the filling device was shifted according to the arrow 13 from its position 305 in the open configuration marked by a broken line. As can be seen from the drawing, the distance between the shown bars 4 and 5 decreased, and in the entire filling device there as many such bar pairs, which will be pushed close to each other, as the blocking bars 5. To each such pair, a flow of individual rod-shaped articles 8 shown by means of the arrow 14 is assigned. A turn made by the bar 4, which in Fig. 7a may be described as a clockwise motion, is concurrent with the shown direction 14 of the flow of individual articles 8. Upon completion of the filling process the bars 4 promoting the flow may also make a turn in a direction (Fig. 8a) opposite to the one describe above, i.e. anticlockwise. As a result of such a turn, the article 208 will be pushed upwards from between the bars of the filling device. In Fig. 8b like in Fig. 7b, one of the bars 4 promoting the flow and one of the blocking bars 5 are shown, with the bar 4 making a turn in the opposite direction as compared to Fig. 7b, i.e. anticlockwise. The turn made by the bar 4 is backward to the shown direction 14 of flow of individual articles. In a technical embodiment of the invention, the controller of the filler may in the working cycle first execute a clockwise turn, and then an anticlockwise turn. In relation to the flow of individual articles which is interrupted by the blocking bar 5, situated closest to the bar 4 in question, which during the shift of configuration of the filling device from open to closed comes near to the bar 4 in question, the turns of the bars 5 will be executed concurrently or opposite to the direction 14 of flow of individual articles 8.

Fig. 6 shows a so-called„bridge" formed of the articles 308 and 408 above the bars 304 and 204, and a gap 12. A turn executed by the bars 4 promoting the flow will, apart from the removal of the article 108, have an additional effect in the form of shifting the article 308 and filling the gap 12. The execution of the turns described above by the bars 4 promoting the flow of rod-shaped articles will result in the correct preparation of the filling device 1 , 101 for a successive filling cycle of the tray 9, 10; the articles immobilized between the bars 4 and 5 will be removed, and in addition the space above each blocking bar 5, in case of potential bridge above such space, will be filled with an article. At the start of a successive tray filling cycle, after shifting the set 3, 103 of blocking bars 5, all individual flows of rod-shaped articles will be simultaneously activated. In this way, the risk of uneven filling of a single-chamber tray or of particular segments of a multi-segment tray will be clearly reduced.

The stages of the tray filling process being the preparation process of the filling device in the second embodiment to a successive tray filling cycle shown in Fig. 10 to 14 correspond to the stages shown in Fig. 5 to 9, however, in Fig. 10 to 14 all bars 4 promoting the filling are positioned concurrently in phase to each other, i.e. corresponding lateral surfaces of the bars 4 are parallel to each other. In the course of filling of the tray 9, 10 all bars 4 promoting the filling are synchronically turned in phase and with equal speed, and in addition in the closed configuration are situated in the position shown in Fig. 11. As a result of such disposition of the bars all spaces between the bars 4 and 5, in which rod-shaped articles may be immobilized, will be the same for the entire filling device. Such a unification within the entire filling device will make an easier adjustment of the device possible. E.g. a change of the distance a (Fig. 12b) between the set of bars 4 and the set of bars 5 will effect a change of the distance b between the respective pairs of bars 4 and 5 in the same way. Similarly, a change of the stroke made by the blocking bars 5 will effect in the same way on all distances c between the respective pairs of bars 4 and 5 in the closed configuration.

Fig. 15 and 16 show the third embodiment of the filling device in which the blocking bars 5 also make turns after shifting the filling device to the closed configuration. In Fig. 15 the bars 4 make turns clockwise, and the bars 5 make turns anticlockwise, however, the bars 5 make only a part of a full turn. In Fig. 16 the bars 4 and 5 make turns in directions opposite to the directions shown in Fig. 15. In the described embodiment the bars 5 may make incomplete turns, e.g. a half-turn. One fourth of a turn is enough to remove immobilized articles, it is most preferable to turn the bars 5 by one sixth of a turn.

Fig. 17 shows a tray filler 15 adapted to filling multi-segment trays 10. The filler 15 is provided with a feeder 17 of empty trays 10 whose task is to feed trays to the filling area beneath a container 16 of rod-shaped articles 8. The empty tray 10 is placed under the filling device 101. After filling, the tray 10 may be transported by a feeder 18 of full trays or a feeder 19 of trays which have been improperly filled. The filler 15 is provided with a controller 20 which controls the sequence of movements of all units of the tray filler.

Claims

1. A method of filling trays for the storage of rod-shaped articles wherein the feeding of rod-shaped articles from a container of articles to a tray is executed through alternate shifting of a filling device, comprising a first set of bars (4) promoting the flow of articles and a second set of bars (5) blocking the flow of articles, between an open configuration which makes the flow of articles through the filling device (1 , 101 ) during tray filling possible, and a closed configuration which interrupts the flow of articles through the filling device (1 , 101 ), wherein the shift of the filling device takes place by moving sets of bars (2, 102) and (3, 103) relative to each other, characterized in that

after shifting the filling device (1 , 101 ) to a closed configuration the bars of a first and/or second set (2, 102, 3, 103) of bars (4, 5) are turned,

2. A method according to claim 1 characterized in that the bars (4) promoting the flow are turned clockwise.

3. A method according to claim 1 characterized in that the bars (4) promoting the flow are turned anticlockwise.

4. A method according to claim 2 or 3 characterized in that the bars (4) promoting the flow are turned first clockwise, and then anticlockwise.

5. A method according to claim 2 or 3 characterized in that the bars (4) promoting the flow are turned first anticlockwise, and then clockwise.

6. A method according to claim 4 characterized in that additionally the bars (5) blocking the flow are turned first anticlockwise, and then clockwise.

7. A method according to claim 5 characterized in that additionally the bars (5) blocking the flow are turned first clockwise, and then anticlockwise.

8. A method according to claims 2 to 5 characterized in that the bars (4) promoting the flow are turned by at least one fourth of a full turn, preferably by one turn and most preferably by one and a half turns.

9. A method according to claim 6 or 7 characterized in that the bars (5) blocking the flow are turned by a half- turn at most, preferably by one fourth of a turn and most preferably by one sixth of a turn.

10. A method according to any of the previous claims characterized in that the bars (4, 5) are turned synchronically and in phase with each other.

11 . An apparatus for filling trays for the storage of rod-shaped articles, comprising a container (16) of articles fed to a tray (9, 10) and alternately shifted filling device (1 , 101 ) which comprises a first set (2, 102) of bars (4) promoting the flow of articles and a second set (3, 103) of bars (5) blocking the flow of articles, wherein the filling device (1 , 101 ) is shifted between an open configuration which makes the flow of articles through the filling device (1 , 101 ) during tray filling possible, and a closed configuration which interrupts the flow of articles through the filling device (1 , 101 ), and the sets (2, 102, 3, 103) of bars (4, 5) are adapted to shifting relative to each other

characterized in that

the bars (4, 5) are adapted to making a turn after shifting the filling device to the closed configuration.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 characterized in that it is provided with a controller adapted to the implement of the method according to claims 1 to 10.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11 and 12 characterized in that the bars (5) have a polygonal cross-section.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11 to 13 characterized in that the bars are positioned in phase to each other.