Granted Patent B2

US 12,234,101 · App. 18/010,345 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Inventors: Thomas Hensel (Aying, DE); Martin Bauer (Nussdorf am Inn, DE); Herbert Spindler (Niedermoosen, DE); Juergen Werner (Bruckmuehl, DE); Marcus Seidl (Kienberg, DE)

Assignee: Krones Aktiengesellschaft

B65G43/08B65G47/1492B65G47/71B65G47/766B65G47/82B65G2203/0241B65G2203/042

Abstract

Claims (27)

1. A transport device ( 1 ) comprising:

an infeed ( 2 ) for conveying a plurality of similarly shaped and dimensioned articles ( 10 ) in a mass flow,

a distribution section ( 3 ) located downstream of the infeed ( 2 ),

a row transport ( 4 ), wherein the distribution section ( 3 ) leads into the row transport ( 4 ), where the plurality of articles ( 10 ) are conveyed onwards in at least two parallel rows ( 5 ), which rows ( 5 ) are separated from one another by one or more lane plates ( 26 ) in the row transport ( 4 );

at least one sensor device ( 6 , 8 , 11 ) assigned to the infeed ( 2 ), to the distribution section ( 3 ), or to the rows ( 5 ) for detecting and monitoring the mass flow within the infeed ( 2 ), within the distribution section ( 3 ), or within the rows ( 5 ), which at least one sensor device ( 6 , 8 , 11 ) is coupled in terms of signals to a motor-driven actuator ( 14 ) assigned to the distribution section ( 3 ),

wherein, in the event of detected gaps, or interruptions, or in the event of a detected termination of the mass flow within the infeed ( 2 ), within the distribution section ( 3 ), or within the rows ( 5 ), the actuator ( 14 ) moves a movable steering device ( 16 ) adjoining the mass flow at least on one side.

2. The transport device ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein the steering device ( 16 ) is designed to be pivotable, rotatable, or displaceable.

3. The transport device ( 1 ) of claim 2 , wherein the actuator ( 14 ) is a robot.

4. The transport device ( 1 ) of claim 3 , in which the robot comprises a tool or in which a tool can be assigned to the robot, which tool is designed to seize individual articles ( 10 ) from the mass flow and to assign them to individual rows ( 5 ).

5. The transport device ( 1 ) of claim 1 , in which the distribution section ( 3 ) is formed by a passive and non-driven transport section, wherein the steering device ( 16 ) is a movably designed pushing element with a movement component, which movement component is in or against a conveying direction (FR).

6. The transport device ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor device ( 6 , 8 , 11 ) comprises a light barrier.

7. The transport device ( 1 ) of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor device ( 6 , 8 , 11 ) comprises at least one camera with image processing or evaluation.

8. A method of distributing a plurality of similarly shaped and dimensioned articles ( 10 ), comprising:

conveying articles ( 10 ) in a mass flow via an infeed ( 2 ) to a row transport ( 4 ) to form at least two parallel rows ( 5 ), which rows ( 5 ) are separated from one another by one or more lane plates ( 26 ),

detecting, with at least one sensor, the mass flow within the infeed ( 2 ), within a distribution section ( 3 ) located between the infeed ( 2 ) and the rows ( 5 ), or within the rows ( 5 ), and

moving, in the event of detected gaps, or interruptions, or in the event of a detected termination of the mass flow within the infeed ( 2 ), within the distribution section ( 3 ), or within the rows ( 5 ), at least one motor-driven actuator ( 14 ), wherein the actuator ( 14 ) comprises, or moves, a movable steering device ( 16 ), wherein the steering device ( 16 ) adjoins the mass flow at least on one side.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising distributing the articles ( 10 ) evenly or approximately evenly into the rows ( 5 ) of the row transport ( 4 ) by the steering device ( 16 ).

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising pivoting, rotating, or displacing the steering device ( 16 ) by control movements of the actuator ( 14 ).

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising moving the steering device ( 16 ) by a robot in order to change a direction of movement of articles ( 10 ) of the mass flow.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising seizing individual articles ( 10 ) from the mass flow and assigning seized articles ( 10 ) to individual rows ( 5 ).

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the detecting step comprises detecting characteristics of individual or multiple articles.

14. A transport device ( 1 ) comprising:

an infeed ( 2 ) for conveying a plurality of similarly shaped and dimensioned articles ( 10 ) in a mass flow in a conveying direction (FR),

a distribution section ( 3 ) located downstream of the infeed ( 2 ) and formed by a passive and non-driven transport section,

a row transport ( 4 ), wherein the distribution section ( 3 ) leads into the row transport ( 4 ), where the plurality of articles ( 10 ) are conveyed onwards in the conveying direction (FR) in at least two parallel rows ( 5 ) in the row transport ( 4 ), which rows ( 5 ) are separated from one another;

at least one sensor device ( 6 , 8 , 11 ) assigned to the infeed ( 2 ), to the distribution section ( 3 ), or to the rows ( 5 ) for detecting and monitoring the mass flow within the infeed ( 2 ), within the distribution section ( 3 ), or within the rows ( 5 ), which at least one sensor device ( 6 , 8 , 11 ) is coupled in terms of signals to a motor-driven actuator ( 14 ) assigned to the distribution section ( 3 ),

wherein, in the event of detected gaps, or interruptions, or in the event of a detected termination of the mass flow within the infeed ( 2 ), within the distribution section ( 3 ), or within the rows ( 5 ), the actuator ( 14 ) moves a movable steering device ( 16 ) adjoining the mass flow at least on one side, wherein the steering device ( 16 ) is a movably designed pushing element with a movement component, which movement component is in or against the conveying direction (FR).

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (25)