Plant for processing containers
A plant for processing containers ( 2 ), comprising a feeding device, a pick-up device ( 3 ) and a conveying device ( 1 ) interposed between the two, and comprising a gripping unit ( 7 ) which comprises a first retaining element ( 8 ) and a second retaining element ( 10 ) which are slidably coupled to a fixed supporting unit ( 5 ), move along it by means of respective linear motor actuators, and which between them define a housing ( 12 ) for a container ( 2 ), wherein respectively the containers feeding device and/or the containers pick-up device ( 3 ) comprise a supporting plate ( 16 ) couplable at the bottom to the gripping unit ( 7 ), respectively, in a starting station and/or in an arrival station ( 4 ), and equipped with one or more raised or raisable portions which are inserted into the housing ( 12 ) from below in order to support the container ( 2 ) independently of the gripping unit ( 7 ).
1. A plant for processing containers ( 2 ), comprising a containers feeding device, a containers pick-up device ( 3 ) and a conveying device ( 1 ) interposed between the containers feeding device and the containers pick-up device ( 3 ), for conveying containers ( 2 ) along a movement path which extends between a starting station and an arrival station ( 4 ) of the plant, wherein the conveying device comprises:
a fixed supporting unit ( 5 ), which extends along a trajectory of extension, and which, along part of its length, extends parallel to the movement path;
at least one gripping unit ( 7 ) slidably associated with the fixed supporting unit ( 5 ) for cyclically moving along the trajectory of extension, and configured to retain and move a container ( 2 ) along the movement path;
wherein moreover:
the gripping unit ( 7 ) comprises a first retaining element ( 8 ) slidably coupled to the fixed supporting unit ( 5 ) and comprising a first operating portion ( 9 );
the gripping unit ( 7 ) comprises a second retaining element ( 10 ) slidably coupled to the fixed supporting unit ( 5 ), alongside the first retaining element ( 8 ), and comprising a second operating portion ( 11 );
the conveying device comprises respective linear motor actuators for the first retaining element ( 8 ) and for the second retaining element ( 10 );
when the first retaining element ( 8 ) and the second retaining element ( 10 ) move along an operating stretch of the trajectory of extension, the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) move along the movement path;
the first retaining element ( 8 ) and the second retaining element ( 10 ) move along the fixed supporting unit ( 5 ) independently, by means of the respective linear motor actuators, and, by means of that independent movement, they can switch their reciprocal configuration between an operating configuration, in which the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) are close together and between them define a housing ( 12 ) for a container ( 2 ), and a home configuration, in which the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) are at a distance from each other;
the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) are in the operating configuration when the first retaining element ( 8 ) and the second retaining element ( 10 ) move along the operating stretch of the trajectory of extension for moving forward the container ( 2 ) along the movement path;
and wherein:
at the starting station, the containers feeding device is coupled to the conveying device ( 1 ) in order to position a container ( 2 ) between the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ), while the first retaining element ( 8 ) and the second retaining element ( 10 ) are in the home configuration;
the conveying device ( 1 ) is configured to switch the first retaining element ( 8 ) and the second retaining element ( 10 ) to the operating configuration, while the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) are still at the starting station and after the containers feeding device has positioned the container ( 2 ) between the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 );
at the arrival station ( 4 ), the conveying device ( 1 ) is configured to switch the first retaining element ( 8 ) and the second retaining element ( 10 ) to the home configuration;
at the arrival station ( 4 ), the conveying device ( 1 ) is coupled to the containers pick-up device ( 3 ), in order to release, to the containers pick-up device ( 3 ), the container ( 2 ) contained in the housing ( 12 ), when the first retaining element ( 8 ) and the second retaining element ( 10 ) switch from the operating configuration to the home configuration;
in the operating configuration, the housing ( 12 ) is at least partly open at the bottom to allow the insertion into the housing ( 12 ) from below, of units suitable for interacting with the container ( 2 ) contained in the housing ( 12 );
and wherein respectively the containers feeding device and/or the containers pick-up device ( 3 ) comprise a supporting plate ( 16 ) couplable at the bottom to the gripping unit ( 7 ), respectively, in the starting station and/or in the arrival station ( 4 ), and wherein the supporting plate ( 16 ) comprises one or more raised or raisable portions which at, respectively, the starting station and/or the arrival station ( 4 ) are inserted into the housing ( 12 ) from below in order to support the container ( 2 ) independently of the gripping unit ( 7 ).
2. The plant for processing containers according to claim 1 , wherein, respectively, the containers feeding device and/or the containers pick-up device ( 3 ) also comprise an upper retaining unit ( 20 ) vertically aligned with the supporting plate ( 16 ) and movable between a raised position, wherein it is placed outside the movement path, and a lowered position, wherein it is partly inserted into the movement path in order to retain an upper part of the container ( 2 ).
3. The plant for processing containers according to claim 1 , wherein the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) are configured to lock between them the container ( 2 ) to be moved, when they are in the operating configuration.
4. The plant for processing containers according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first operating portion ( 9 ) or the second operating portion ( 11 ), comprises a supporting portion ( 13 ) which, in the operating configuration, constitutes a lower support for a container ( 2 ) placed in the housing ( 12 ) between the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ).
5. The plant for processing containers according to claim 4 , wherein the supporting portion ( 13 ) comprises one or more projections ( 14 ) which extend cantilever-style mainly along a direction parallel to the movement path.
6. The plant for processing containers according to claim 4 , wherein the supporting portion ( 13 ) is in the shape of a U or C.
7. The plant for processing containers according to claim 4 , wherein the supporting portion ( 13 ) only partly closes the bottom of the housing ( 12 ).
8. The plant for processing containers according to claim 4 , wherein the supporting portion ( 13 ) is configured to couple respectively to the containers feeding device, at the starting station, and/or to the containers pick-up device ( 3 ), at the arrival station ( 4 ), respectively allowing the feeding device and/or the pick-up device ( 3 ) to interact with the bottom of the container ( 2 ), respectively for feeding it to the housing ( 12 ) and/or for picking it up from the housing ( 12 ).
9. The plant for processing containers according to claim 4 , wherein both the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) comprise a supporting portion ( 13 ) which, in the operating configuration, constitutes a lower support for a container ( 2 ) placed between the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ).
10. The plant for processing containers according to claim 4 , wherein the second retaining element ( 10 ) is placed after the first retaining element ( 8 ) relative to a direction of forward movement of the container ( 2 ) along the movement path, and wherein the second retaining element ( 10 ) comprises the supporting portion ( 13 ).
11. The plant for processing containers according to claim 1 , wherein the housing ( 12 ) is completely open at the bottom and the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) are configured to lock between them the container ( 2 ) to be moved by acting exclusively on a lateral surface of the container ( 2 ).
12. The plant for processing containers according to claim 1 , wherein the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) are positioned alongside the fixed supporting unit ( 5 ).
13. The plant for processing containers according to claim 1 wherein, at least at the starting station and/or the arrival station ( 4 ), the conveying device defines an empty space below the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ), for allowing the positioning below the gripping unit ( 7 ), respectively, of the containers feeding device and/or of the containers pick-up device ( 3 ).
14. The plant for processing containers according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of gripping units ( 7 ) mounted one after another on the fixed supporting unit ( 5 ), and movable independently of each other along the fixed supporting unit ( 5 ).
15. The plant for processing containers according to claim 2 , wherein the housing ( 12 ) is completely open at the bottom and the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) are configured to lock between them the container ( 2 ) to be moved by acting exclusively on a lateral surface of the container ( 2 ).
16. The plant for processing containers according to claim 2 , wherein the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) are positioned alongside the fixed supporting unit ( 5 ).
17. The plant for processing containers according to claim 2 wherein, at least at the starting station and/or the arrival station ( 4 ), the conveying device defines an empty space below the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ), for allowing the positioning below the gripping unit ( 7 ), respectively, of the containers feeding device and/or of the containers pick-up device ( 3 ).
18. The plant for processing containers according to claim 2 comprising a plurality of gripping units ( 7 ) mounted one after another on the fixed supporting unit ( 5 ), and movable independently of each other along the fixed supporting unit ( 5 ).
19. The plant for processing containers according to claim 2 , wherein the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ) are configured to lock between them the container ( 2 ) to be moved, when they are in the operating configuration.
20. The plant for processing containers according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first operating portion ( 9 ) or the second operating portion ( 11 ), comprises a supporting portion ( 13 ) which, in the operating configuration, constitutes a lower support for a container ( 2 ) placed in the housing ( 12 ) between the first operating portion ( 9 ) and the second operating portion ( 11 ).