Apparatus and method for positioning products on supports
An apparatus and method for positioning products ( 1 ) on supports ( 2 ), wherein the supports ( 2 ) are moved by means of magnetic shuttles ( 4 ) of a planar motor conveyor ( 3 ) between a plurality of operating stations, and wherein, at an unloading station ( 16 ), each product is fed with an auxiliary conveyor ( 35 ) above a gliding plane ( 5 ) of the planar motor conveyor ( 3 ), and is unloaded onto a support ( 2 ) which is supported by a magnetic shuttle ( 4 ), while the magnetic shuttle ( 4 ) moves below the auxiliary conveyor ( 35 ).
1 . An apparatus for positioning products on supports, comprising:
a supporting structure;
a planar motor conveyor, which is mounted on the supporting structure, which defines a gliding plane and which comprises a plurality of magnetic shuttles associable with the gliding plane, for being moved over the gliding plane by means of the planar motor, between a plurality of operating stations, each magnetic shuttle being configured to convey at least a support;
an auxiliary conveyor which is associated with the planar motor conveyor above the gliding plane at an unloading station, at the unloading station between the auxiliary conveyor and the gliding plane of the planar motor conveyor there being a transit space present which, in use, allows the gliding of at least one magnetic shuttle with at least one support loaded onto it; and an electronic control unit operatively connected to the auxiliary conveyor and to the planar motor conveyor for controlling their operation in a coordinated way;
wherein moreover:
at the unloading station the auxiliary conveyor is configured to unload the product above the planar motor conveyor below;
during the unloading of each product from the auxiliary conveyor, the electronic control unit is programmed to control the planar motor conveyor for, in use, making a magnetic shuttle onto which a support has been loaded, move through the unloading station; each magnetic shuttle defines a resting zone for at least one support;
the apparatus also comprises a first electronic device, which is associated with the auxiliary conveyor for inspecting each product arriving at the unloading station, and a first processing device operatively connected to the first electronic device, for receiving from it data relative to each product, and programmed to determine the spatial orientation of the product on the auxiliary conveyor using those data; and
the electronic control unit is also programmed to control the planar motor conveyor for orienting the resting zone of each magnetic shuttle, at the unloading station, as a function of the spatial orientation of the product arriving at the unloading station to be loaded onto the magnetic shuttle;
wherein each magnetic shuttle comprises at least two magnetic units, each of which comprises at least one active body in which one or more permanent magnets are installed, and wherein:
said at least two magnetic units are rotatably connected to a supporting casing which defines the resting zone; or
said at least two magnetic units are mechanically separate and are moved in a combined way by the electronic control unit, the resting zone being jointly defined by all of the magnetic units.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the orientation of the resting zone of each magnetic shuttle is determined by the electronic control unit by making the magnetic shuttle rotate on itself and/or by causing a change in the configuration of interconnected parts which constitute the magnetic shuttle and/or by moving in a synchronised way parts which are separate from each other which constitute the magnetic shuttle.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the spatial orientation of the product is assessed as rotation of the product about an axis perpendicular to the gliding plane.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a second electronic device, which is associated with the auxiliary conveyor for inspecting each product loaded onto it, a second processing device operatively connected to the second electronic device for receiving from it data relative to each product, and programmed to determine the shape and/or the size and/or other characteristics of the product using those data, the auxiliary conveyor also comprising an ejection unit for the products, placed upstream of the unloading station, the electronic control unit being programmed to activate the ejection unit for ejecting a product as a function of the shape and/or of the size and/or of other characteristics of the product determined by the second processing device.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a third electronic device, which is associated with a gliding plane transit zone, at which each magnetic shuttle which moves from the unloading station towards an outfeed station is made to pass, for inspecting the product and the support which are loaded onto each magnetic shuttle, and a third processing device operatively connected to the third electronic device, for receiving from it data relative to each support and product, and programmed to determine the position of the product on the support and/or other characteristics of the product and/or of the support using those data, the electronic control unit being programmed to direct the shuttle to the outfeed station or to an ejection station or to the unloading station, as a function of the position of the product on the support and/or of the other characteristics of the product and/or of the support determined by the third processing device.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, at the unloading station, the auxiliary conveyor is configured to unload the product by making it project, above the planar motor conveyor below.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to control the planar motor conveyor, at the unloading station, in such a way as to move the magnetic shuttle onto which the support has been loaded, in such a way that it is synchronised with the projecting of the product to be loaded onto it.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to control the planar motor conveyor, at the unloading station, in such a way as to move each magnetic shuttle with a velocity of forward movement whose magnitude and whose direction are determined as a function of the velocity with which the relative product is made to project from the final end of the auxiliary conveyor.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the auxiliary conveyor is configured to make the product project, with a velocity of forward movement which has at least one component parallel to the gliding plane of the planar motor conveyor and wherein, during the unloading of each product from the sliding supporting unit, the electronic control unit is programmed to, in use, make said magnetic shuttle onto which the support has been loaded move through the unloading station, making it shift parallel to said component of the velocity of forward movement of the product which is parallel to the gliding plane of the planar motor conveyor.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the auxiliary conveyor is configured to make the product project, with a velocity of forward movement which has at least one component parallel to the gliding plane of the planar motor conveyor and wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to control the planar motor conveyor, at the unloading station, in such a way as to move each magnetic shuttle with a velocity of forward movement whose magnitude is equal to, greater than or less than the magnitude of the component parallel to the gliding plane of the velocity with which the relative product is made to project from the final end of the auxiliary conveyor, and whose direction is either constantly in the same direction as, or constantly opposite to or alternately in the same direction as and opposite to the direction of the component parallel to the gliding plane, of the velocity with which the relative product is made to project from the final end of the auxiliary conveyor.
11 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic shuttles are also configured to levitate above the gliding plane of the planar motor conveyor and to, in use, glide over the gliding plane without contact.
12 . An apparatus for positioning products on supports, comprising:
a supporting structure;
a planar motor conveyor, which is mounted on the supporting structure, which defines a gliding plane and which comprises a plurality of magnetic shuttles associable with the gliding plane, for being moved over the gliding plane by means of the planar motor, between a plurality of operating stations, each magnetic shuttle being configured to convey at least a support; an auxiliary conveyor which is associated with the planar motor conveyor above the gliding plane at an unloading station, at the unloading station between the auxiliary conveyor and the gliding plane of the planar motor conveyor there being a transit space present which, in use, allows the gliding of at least one magnetic shuttle with at least one support loaded onto it; and
an electronic control unit operatively connected to the auxiliary conveyor and to the planar motor conveyor for controlling their operation in a coordinated way;
wherein moreover:
at the unloading station the auxiliary conveyor is configured to unload the product above the planar motor conveyor below;
during the unloading of each product from the auxiliary conveyor, the electronic control unit is programmed to control the planar motor conveyor for, in use, making a magnetic shuttle onto which a support has been loaded, move through the unloading station; each magnetic shuttle defines a resting zone for at least one support;
the apparatus also comprises a first electronic device, which is associated with the auxiliary conveyor for inspecting each product arriving at the unloading station, and a first processing device operatively connected to the first electronic device, for receiving from it data relative to each product, and programmed to determine the spatial orientation of the product on the auxiliary conveyor using those data; and
the electronic control unit is also programmed to control the planar motor conveyor for orienting the resting zone of each magnetic shuttle, at the unloading station, as a function of the spatial orientation of the product arriving at the unloading station to be loaded onto the magnetic shuttle;
the apparatus also comprising an auxiliary conveyor belt which comprises an active stretch which slides on the gliding plane, which passes through the unloading station to receive any products which fall from the final end of the auxiliary conveyor onto the gliding plane.
13 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the orientation of the resting zone of each magnetic shuttle is determined by the electronic control unit by making the magnetic shuttle rotate on itself and/or by causing a change in the configuration of interconnected parts which constitute the magnetic shuttle and/or by moving in a synchronised way parts which are separate from each other which constitute the magnetic shuttle.
14 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the spatial orientation of the product is assessed as rotation of the product about an axis perpendicular to the gliding plane.
15 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , comprising a second electronic device, which is associated with the auxiliary conveyor for inspecting each product loaded onto it, a second processing device operatively connected to the second electronic device for receiving from it data relative to each product, and programmed to determine the shape and/or the size and/or other characteristics of the product using those data, the auxiliary conveyor also comprising an ejection unit for the products, placed upstream of the unloading station, the electronic control unit being programmed to activate the ejection unit for ejecting a product as a function of the shape and/or of the size and/or of other characteristics of the product determined by the second processing device.
16 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , comprising a third electronic device, which is associated with a gliding plane transit zone, at which each magnetic shuttle which moves from the unloading station towards an outfeed station is made to pass, for inspecting the product and the support which are loaded onto each magnetic shuttle, and a third processing device operatively connected to the third electronic device, for receiving from it data relative to each support and product, and programmed to determine the position of the product on the support and/or other characteristics of the product and/or of the support using those data, the electronic control unit being programmed to direct the shuttle to the outfeed station or to an ejection station or to the unloading station, as a function of the position of the product on the support and/or of the other characteristics of the product and/or of the support determined by the third processing device.
17 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein, at the unloading station, the auxiliary conveyor is configured to unload the product by making it project, above the planar motor conveyor below.
18 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to control the planar motor conveyor, at the unloading station, in such a way as to move the magnetic shuttle onto which the support has been loaded, in such a way that it is synchronised with the projecting of the product to be loaded onto it.
19 . The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to control the planar motor conveyor, at the unloading station, in such a way as to move each magnetic shuttle with a velocity of forward movement whose magnitude and whose direction are determined as a function of the velocity with which the relative product is made to project from the final end of the auxiliary conveyor.
20 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the auxiliary conveyor is configured to make the product project, with a velocity of forward movement which has at least one component parallel to the gliding plane of the planar motor conveyor and wherein, during the unloading of each product from the sliding supporting unit, the electronic control unit is programmed to, in use, make said magnetic shuttle onto which the support has been loaded move through the unloading station, making it shift parallel to said component of the velocity of forward movement of the product which is parallel to the gliding plane of the planar motor conveyor.
21 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the auxiliary conveyor is configured to make the product project, with a velocity of forward movement which has at least one component parallel to the gliding plane of the planar motor conveyor and wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to control the planar motor conveyor, at the unloading station, in such a way as to move each magnetic shuttle with a velocity of forward movement whose magnitude is equal to, greater than or less than the magnitude of the component parallel to the gliding plane of the velocity with which the relative product is made to project from the final end of the auxiliary conveyor, and whose direction is either constantly in the same direction as, or constantly opposite to or alternately in the same direction as and opposite to the direction of the component parallel to the gliding plane, of the velocity with which the relative product is made to project from the final end of the auxiliary conveyor.
22 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the magnetic shuttles are also configured to levitate above the gliding plane of the planar motor conveyor and to, in use, glide over the gliding plane without contact.