Plate aligner
A method and arrangement for aligning plates is provided. The plates are arranged substantially end to end and have a first and second side, the sides being parallel and arranged on opposite sides, and a front and rear side, where the sides delimit a plate area. During transport, the rear side of a first plate is adjacent the front side of a subsequent plate. The plates have a propelling means along the first side for engaging and propelling the plates and an aligner arranged along the second sides, where the aligner, is moved orthogonal to from a first position where the aligner is not in contact with the plates to a second position where the aligner is in contact with at least two adjacent plates, and the contact aligns the second sides of adjacent plates, such that the plates are arranged with the second sides along a straight line.
1 . An arrangement for aligning plates in an array of plates being transported along a transport path in a substantially horizontal plane, the plates having a first side and a second side, said the first side and the second side being parallel and arranged on opposite sides of the plate, and a front side and a rear side, wherein the first side, the second side, the front side, and the rear side delimit a plate area, and wherein when an array of such plates is being transported along the transport path, the rear side of a first plate is adjacent the front side of a subsequent plate, wherein the arrangement comprises:
a conveyor along the first side of the plate for conveying the plates along the transport path; and
an aligner arranged along the transport path of the array of plates, wherein the aligner or a part of the aligner is movable relative to the transport path from a first position where the aligner is disengaged with the array of plates to a second position where the aligner is in engagement with at least one or part of one side of one of the plates in the array of plates,
wherein the array of plates when being aligned remains in the substantially horizontal plane of the transport path; and
wherein, in the second position, the aligner moves in the same direction and speed as plates travelling on the transport path.
2 . The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the transport path where the aligner is arranged is linear, wherein the aligner is moved orthogonal to the transport path.
3 . The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the aligner is arranged on a movable structure, which movable structure is movable e in a direction of the transport path from a first aligner position to a second aligner position.
4 . The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the conveyor is configured for moving the array of plates stepwise/sequentially or continuously.
5 . The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the second side of the plates, is provided with indentations spaced with a mutual distance X along the second side, and where the aligner is provided with protuberances that correspond to the indentations and are mutually spaced the same distance X.
6 . The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the second side of the plates, is provided with at least one indentation arranged a pre-determined distance from the front side of the plate, and wherein the aligner is provided with at least one protuberance congruent to the at least one indentation.
7 . The arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the indentations and the protuberances in the plane of the plate are semi-circles, triangles, rectangles, or polygonal.
8 . The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the second side of the plate and distanced from the second side edge towards the first side are provided one or more apertures in the plate area.
9 . The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a mechanical return mechanism is provided in order to assure that the aligner is moved away from the second side allowing the plate to travel along the transport path, the mechanical return mechanism comprising one or more oblique surfaces orthogonal to the plane of the plates and arranged at an oblique angle relative to a direction of the transport path, wherein the closest part of the oblique surface is upstream relative to the transport path, and one or more engagement pegs extending such that they engage the oblique surface, such that when the aligner moves in the direction of the transport path, at least one engagement peg will engage one oblique surfaces whereby the aligner is urged away from the second side.
10 . The arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the aligner comprises an endless belt or a wheel, wherein one or more protuberances extends from the periphery of the belt or wheel, and where, if more than one protuberance is provided the protuberances are evenly spaced with the mutual fixed distance X, wherein the belt or wheel may rotate such that the one or more protuberance(s) move in the same direction and speed as plates travelling on the transport path, and wherein the protuberance(s) arrive at the second position, such that the protuberances engages one or more indentations in at least one plate.
11 . The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the aligner, in the second position, is in contact with at least two adjacent plates.
12 . The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein an actuator is provided for moving the aligner relative to the transport path, from said first position to said second position and back again.
13 . The arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein two or more apertures are provided with a mutual distance Y in the direction of the transport path in the plate area.
14 . The arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the aligner has a web extending below the plates in the transport path, wherein said web is provided with one or more spikes and if more than one spike is provided they are provided spaced a distance Y in the transport path direction, said spikes extending upwards towards the plates, and wherein the aligner with the web may be moved such that the one or more spikes penetrates the one or more apertures on at least one plate.
15 . The arrangement of according to claim 1 , wherein the plate is aligned relative to a fixed line.
16 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the plates are configured for carrying of ice cream.
17 . The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the second side of the plates, is provided with at least one protuberance arranged a pre-determined distance from the front side of the plate, and wherein the aligner is provided with at least one indentation corresponding to the at least one protuberance.