Packaging device and sorting system for directional packaging of products and method therefor

1. A packaging device for directional packaging of products comprising:

a sensor system configured to detect a collection of suitable pick-up points of a product for packaging;

at least one directing unit operatively connected to the sensor system and configured to direct the product such that at least one suitable pick-up point lies in an operating range of a manipulator, and wherein the directing unit is provided with at least one degree of freedom for rotation of the product around a substantially horizontal rotation axis; and

the manipulator, comprising:

a pick-up element configured to pick the product up from the at least one directing unit; and

a moving device, on or close to an outer end of which the pick-up element is arranged and which comprises at least four degrees of freedom for translation of the product and rotation around a substantially horizontal rotation axis,

wherein a rotation of the product around a substantially vertical rotation axis is possible by providing the moving device with at least five degrees of freedom and/or by providing the at least one directing unit with a second degree of freedom, such that the moving device can pick up the product and place it in a packaging or a container in a desired orientation,

wherein the sensor system comprises:

a camera system and/or one or more other sensors, and

a processing unit configured to process information obtained by the camera system and/or the one or more other sensors,

wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a most suitable pick-up point of the collection of suitable pick-up points, and

wherein a suitable pick-up point is a point on the product for which it has been determined by the processing unit that the manipulator can pick up the product for processing in a desired manner.

2. The packaging device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system includes the camera system.

3. The packaging device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system includes the one or more other sensors.

4. The packaging device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is further configured to determine quality aspects of the product and, also with reference thereto, determine a subsequent processing step for the product.

5. The packaging device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one directing unit is provided with one degree of freedom for directing the product, wherein the product can move around a substantially horizontal rotation axis, and wherein the moving device is provided with at least five degrees of freedom.

6. The packaging device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one directing unit is provided with two degrees of freedom for directing the product, wherein the product can move around a substantially horizontal and a substantially vertical rotation axis, and wherein the moving device is provided with at least four degrees of freedom for translation of the product and rotation of the product around a substantially horizontal rotation axis.

7. The packaging device of claim 1 , wherein the pick-up element is provided with a pressure means configured to provide an underpressure such that a product can be picked up.

8. The packaging device of claim 7 , wherein the pick-up element is provided with a product detector configured to determine a grip of the pick-up element on the product.

9. The packaging device of claim 7 , wherein the pick-up element is provided with a mechanical gripper mechanism.

10. The packaging device of claim 9 , wherein the pick-up element is further provided with a stabilizing element configured to additionally support the picked-up product during movement thereof with the pick-up element.

11. The packaging device of claim 10 , wherein the stabilizing element comprises a stop element, and wherein the pressure means is able to move inward against the stop element when the product is being picked up.

12. The packaging device of claim 1 , further comprising a displacing device for providing for a relative displacement between the sensor system and a pick-up position where the product can be picked up by the manipulator.

13. The packaging device of claim 12 , wherein the displacing device comprises an endless series of directing units.

14. The packaging device of claim 1 , further comprising at least two directing units and an optimizer configured to determine an order of products to be picked up and/or a set-down position of picked-up products in a packaging or a container.

15. The packaging device of claim 1 , further comprising a weighing cell configured to measure a product weight.

16. The packaging device of claim 1 , further comprising a packaging sensor configured to detect a set-down position for the product.

17. A sorting system for sorting and directional packaging of products, the sorting system comprising:

a sorting device for sorting products; and

a packaging device, operatively connected to one or more sorting outlets of the sorting device, the packaging device comprising;

a sensor system configured to detect a collection of suitable pick-up points of a product for packaging;

at least one directing unit operatively connected to the sensor system and configured to direct the product such that at least one suitable pick-up point lies in an operating range of a manipulator, and wherein the at least one directing unit is provided with at least one degree of freedom for rotation of the product around a substantially horizontal rotation axis; and

the manipulator, comprising:

a pick-up element configured to pick the product up from the at least one directing unit; and

a moving device, on or close to an outer end of which the pick-up element is arranged and which comprises at least four degrees of freedom for translation of the product and rotation around a substantially horizontal rotation axis,

wherein a rotation of the product around a substantially vertical rotation axis is possible by providing the moving device with at least five degrees of freedom and/or by providing the at least one directing unit with a second degree of freedom, such that the moving device can pick up the product and place it in a packaging or a container in a desired orientation,

wherein the sensor system comprises:

a camera system and/or one or more other sensors, and

a processing unit configured to process information obtained by the camera system and/or the one or more other sensors,

wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a most suitable pick-up point of the collection of suitable pick-up points, and

wherein a suitable pick-up point is a point on the product for which it has been determined by the processing unit that the manipulator can pick up the product for processing in a desired manner.

18. A method for directional packaging of products the method comprising:

providing a packaging device, comprising;

a sensor system configured to detect a collection of suitable pick-up points of a product for packaging;

at least one directing unit operatively connected to the sensor system and configured to direct the product such that at least one suitable pick-up point lies in an operating range of a manipulator, and wherein the at least one directing unit is provided with at least one degree of freedom for rotation of the product around a substantially horizontal rotation axis; and

the manipulator, comprising:

a pick-up element configured to pick the product up from the at least one directing unit; and

a moving device, on or close to an outer end of which the pick-up element is arranged and which comprises at least four degrees of freedom for translation of the product and rotation around a substantially horizontal rotation axis,

wherein a rotation of the product around a substantially vertical rotation axis is possible by providing the moving device with at least five degrees of freedom and/or by providing the at least one directing unit with a second degree of freedom, such that the moving device can pick up the product and place it in a packaging or a container in a desired orientation,

wherein the sensor system comprises:

a camera system and/or one or more other sensors, and

a processing unit configured to process information obtained by the camera system and/or the one or more other sensors,

wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a most suitable pick-up point of the collection of suitable pick-up points, and

wherein a suitable pick-up point is a point on the product for which it has been determined by the processing unit that the manipulator can pick up the product for processing in a desired manner; and

supplying products;

determining the most suitable pick-up point of the collection of suitable pick-up points of the product using the processing unit;

directing the product with the at least one directing unit such that the most suitable pick-up point is positioned in the operating range of the manipulator; and

transferring the product picked up from the at least one directing unit to a packaging or a container using the manipulator, wherein the product is placed in a desired orientation by the manipulator.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein, during in the processing of products provided with a bloom and/or a stalk and/or a calyx, the products are oriented on the basis of a desired orientation of the bloom and/or the stalk and/or the calyx in the packaging or the container.

20. The packaging device of claim 1 , wherein the pick-up element is provided with a product detector configured to determine a grip of the pick-up element on the product.