Production of batches of products for palletizing in layers

1. A device ( 1 ) for producing batches ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) from a plurality of products ( 3 ), said batches having a predefined configuration for palletizing in layers carried out downstream, said device comprising:

an upstream conveyor ( 4 ) which extends in a first conveying direction ( 6 ) and on which the products ( 3 ) are aligned in a row ( 5 );

a downstream receiving surface ( 7 ) intended to receive said batches ( 2 ); and

a moving means ( 8 ) intended to transfer the products ( 3 ) brought by the upstream conveyor ( 4 ) to the downstream receiving surface ( 7 );

wherein,

the moving means ( 8 ) comprises a main rail ( 9 ) and a plurality of shuttles ( 10 ) that are movable independently of one another and travel on said rail ( 9 ), each shuttle being intended to receive at least one product ( 3 ) on its upper surface, and

a batch ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) corresponds a row or part of a row of a layer to be palletized.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said shuttles ( 10 ) are constituted from a lower part interacting with the rail ( 9 ) and an upper part intended to support at least one product ( 3 ), the upper parts of said shuttles ( 10 ) being able to undergo, preferably independently of one another, a rotation on the vertical axis, preferably through an angle of 90°.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein at least one shuttle ( 10 ) carries a rotation system to enable its upper part to undergo a rotation on the vertical axis.

4. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said device further comprises an element arranged outside of said shuttles ( 10 ), this element being capable of causing the upper part of at least one shuttle ( 10 ) to undergo a rotation on the vertical axis.

5. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said device further comprises an upstream transverse pusher ( 12 ) intended to transfer the products ( 3 ) from the upstream conveyor ( 4 ) onto the shuttles ( 10 ) of the moving means ( 8 ) in a first transfer direction ( 12 ) parallel to the first conveying direction ( 6 ).

6. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the upper surface of said shuttles ( 10 ) is offset downward in the vertical direction relative to the surface ( 13 ) of said upstream conveyor ( 4 ) supporting the products ( 3 ) such that the products ( 3 ) descend on the shuttles ( 10 ) owing to the movement of said upstream conveyor ( 4 ).

7. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said device further comprises a gripping means intended to seize the batches ( 2 ) of products present on the shuttles ( 10 ) and to transfer them toward the downstream receiving surface ( 7 ) in a second transfer direction ( 14 ) perpendicular to the direction of travel of the shuttles ( 10 ) on the main rail ( 9 ) at this location.

8. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said device further comprises a downstream transverse pusher ( 15 ) intended to transfer the batches ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) present on the shuttles ( 10 ) toward the downstream receiving surface ( 7 ) in a second transfer direction ( 14 ) perpendicular to the direction of travel of the shuttles ( 10 ) on the main rail ( 9 ) at this location.

9. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the downstream receiving surface ( 7 ) is carried by a downstream conveyor intended to move the batches ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) in a second conveying direction preferably parallel or perpendicular to the second transfer direction ( 14 ) of the batches ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) from the shuttles ( 10 ) onto the downstream receiving surface ( 7 ).

10. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the moving means ( 8 ) comprises at least one additional rail ( 11 ) distinct from said main rail ( 9 ) downstream of the upstream conveyor ( 4 ), the main ( 9 ) and additional ( 11 ) rails then joining up on a single track before the downstream receiving surface ( 7 ).

11. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said device further comprises an upstream transverse pusher ( 12 ) intended to transfer the products ( 3 ) from the upstream conveyor ( 4 ) onto the shuttles ( 10 ) of the moving means ( 8 ) in a first transfer direction ( 12 ) parallel to the first conveying direction ( 6 ).

12. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of said shuttles ( 10 ) is offset downward in the vertical direction relative to the surface ( 13 ) of said upstream conveyor ( 4 ) supporting the products ( 3 ) such that the products ( 3 ) descend on the shuttles ( 10 ) owing to the movement of said upstream conveyor ( 4 ).

13. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said device further comprises a gripping means intended to seize the batches ( 2 ) of products present on the shuttles ( 10 ) and to transfer them toward the downstream receiving surface ( 7 ) in a second transfer direction ( 14 ) perpendicular to the direction of travel of the shuttles ( 10 ) on the main rail ( 9 ) at this location.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said device further comprises a downstream transverse pusher ( 15 ) intended to transfer the batches ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) present on the shuttles ( 10 ) toward the downstream receiving surface ( 7 ) in a second transfer direction ( 14 ) perpendicular to the direction of travel of the shuttles ( 10 ) on the main rail ( 9 ) at this location.

15. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the downstream receiving surface ( 7 ) is carried by a downstream conveyor intended to move the batches ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) in a second conveying direction preferably parallel or perpendicular to the second transfer direction ( 14 ) of the batches ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) from the shuttles ( 10 ) onto the downstream receiving surface ( 7 ).

16. An installation comprising a device ( 1 ) for producing batches ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising, mounted downstream of said producing device ( 1 ), a device for forming palletizable layers from batches ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) and a palletizing device for stacking the palletizable layers on a pallet.

17. The installation as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising, mounted upstream of said producing device ( 1 ), a machine ( 17 ) delivering the products ( 3 ) traveling aligned in a row ( 5 ) in a first conveying direction ( 6 ), said machine being a shrink-wrapper or a boxing machine.

18. A method for producing at least one batch ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) having a predefined configuration from a plurality of products ( 3 ) for palletizing in layers carried out downstream, comprising:

(i) transferring each product ( 3 ) originating from an upstream conveyor ( 4 ) advancing in a first conveying direction ( 6 ) and on which the products ( 3 ) are aligned in a row ( 5 ) onto a shuttle ( 10 ) separately carried by a rail ( 9 , 11 ) in a first transfer direction ( 12 ) preferably parallel to the first conveying direction ( 6 ), said shuttles being constituted by a lower part and an upper part,

(ii) moving the shuttles ( 10 ) along the rail ( 9 , 11 ) toward a downstream receiving surface ( 7 ) independently of one another, modifying the relative position of the shuttles in order to adjust the distance between the products ( 3 ) that they carry and to obtain, in the vicinity of said downstream receiving surface ( 7 ), at least one batch ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) having a predefined configuration, a batch ( 2 ) of products ( 4 ) corresponding to a row or part of a row of a layer to be palletized.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 , further comprising a step (iii) of simultaneous transfer of the products ( 3 ) forming a batch ( 2 ) of products ( 3 ) from shuttles ( 10 ) onto a downstream receiving surface ( 7 ) in a second transfer direction ( 14 ) perpendicular to the direction of travel of the shuttles ( 10 ) on the rail ( 9 , 11 ) at this location.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein at the time of the step (ii) of moving the shuttles, the upper part of at least one shuttle undergoes a rotation on the vertical axis, preferably through an angle of 90°.