초록 ▼

An arrangement (10) for assembling into batches (Ln), via a phasing device (23), a plurality of products (Pn) traveling on a conveyor belt (16) from an intake zone upstream to an exit zone downstream. The phasing device (23) is placed between the intake zone and the exit zone. The arrangement has at

An arrangement (10) for assembling into batches (Ln), via a phasing device (23), a plurality of products (Pn) traveling on a conveyor belt (16) from an intake zone upstream to an exit zone downstream. The phasing device (23) is placed between the intake zone and the exit zone. The arrangement has at least one retractable catch (60, 62, 64), and the catch (60, 62, 64) is moved successively into an engaged position, causing a first product (Pn) to be slowed down until a second product (Pn) located immediately upstream moves up to it, so as to form a batch (Ln), and into a retracted position which enables the previously formed batch (Ln) to continue its downstream movement at the running speed of the belt.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An arrangement (10) for assembling a plurality of products (Pn) in the form of batches (Ln), the arrangement configured so that the products (Pn) are transported on at least one conveyor belt (16) which runs in a longitudinal direction from an intake zone (18) upstream

The invention claimed is: 1. An arrangement (10) for assembling a plurality of products (Pn) in the form of batches (Ln), the arrangement configured so that the products (Pn) are transported on at least one conveyor belt (16) which runs in a longitudinal direction from an intake zone (18) upstream to an exit zone (20) downstream, at a specified speed (V1) known as a running speed, in which the products (Pn) arrive with a specified upstream spacing (E1) between two products (Pn), and the arrangement having a phasing device (22, 23) which is placed on a path of the products (Pn) so as to form batches (Ln) of at least two of the products (Pn), the phasing device (22, 23) being placed between the intake zone (18) and the exit zone (20) of the belt (16) and having at least one retractable catch (26, 28, 60, 62, 64) which moves successively into: at least one engaged position in which the catch (26, 28, 60, 62, 64) is interposed, by contact, before a first product (P1) in order to slow it down until at least a second product (P2) located immediately upstream moves up to it, so as to form a batch (L1), and at least one retracted position which allows the previously formed batch (L1) to continue moving downstream at the running speed (V1), said phasing device (22, 23) having at least one drive belt (30, 50, 52) which has a passive operating state in which it is stopped, each catch (26, 28, 60, 62, 64) occupying a retracted waiting position, and an active operating state in which the belt (30, 50, 52) is rotated around at least two drive pulleys (34, 36, 54) in such a way that a catch (26, 28, 60, 62, 64) is moved longitudinally downstream in the engaged position. 2. The arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein for each batch (Ln) to be formed, the belt (30, 50, 52) is changed to the active operating state when the first product (P1) is detected by a sensor (42) upstream of the phasing device (22, 23). 3. The arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the catch (26, 28, 60, 62, 64) is moved from an engaged position toward the retracted waiting position when the spacing between the two products (P1, P2) of the batch (L1) reaches a specified value other than zero. 4. The arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 3, wherein in the engaged position, the catch (26, 28, 60, 62, 64) is moved in longitudinal translation downstream, at a specified speed (V2) called the deceleration speed, which is less than the running speed (V1), until the batch (L1) is formed. 5. The arrangement (10) as claimed in the claim 4, wherein the at least one drive belt (30, 50, 52) of the phasing device (22, 23), which carries at least one catch (26, 28, 60, 62, 64), is placed above an upper face (32) of the belt (16), in that the belt (30, 50, 52) is wrapped around the at least two drive pulleys (34, 36, 54) in such a way that a lower branch (38) of the belt (30, 50, 52) extends substantially parallel to the upper face (32) of the belt (16), the catch (26, 28, 60, 62, 64) occupying engaged positions when the catch is located on the lower branch (38), and in that the phasing device (22, 23) has means (40, 56, 58) for rotating the pulleys (34, 36, 54) in such a way that a longitudinal speed (VL) at which the catch (26, 28, 60, 62, 64) driven by the belt (30, 50, 52) is equal to the deceleration speed (V2). 6. The arrangement (10) as claimed in the claim 1, wherein the phasing device (23) has a first (50) and a second (52) drive belt which are similar and placed in parallel, and which are driven independently, and in that each belt (50, 52) is changed to the active operating state before the end of the active operating state of the other belt (50, 52), in such a way that the forming of a batch (Ln) starts before the preceding downstream batch (Ln) has been released. 7. The arrangement (10) as claimed in the claim 6, wherein when the two belts (50, 52) are in the passive operating state, the waiting positions of the catches (60, 62, 64) of the first belt (50) are offset with respect to the waiting positions of the catches (60, 62, 64) of the second belt (52), so as to prevent crossing of the catches (60, 62, 64) of the two belts (50, 52). 8. The arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 6, wherein each belt (30, 50, 52) carries at least two similar catches (26, 28, 60, 62, 64) which are spaced regularly along the belt (30, 50, 52) in such a way that, for each belt (30, 50, 52), only one catch (26, 28, 60, 62, 64) can occupy an engaged position at any time. 9. The arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the phasing device (22, 23) has means (80) for adjusting a center to center spacing between the two pulleys (34, 36) of each belt (30, 50, 52), in order to adapt a length of a lower branch (38) of each belt (30, 50, 52) to dimensional and spatial characteristics of the products (Pn). 10. The arrangement (10) as claimed in the claim 9, wherein the phasing device (22, 23) has means (86) for automatically correcting a tension of each belt (30, 50, 52) in accordance with a value of the center to center spacing between the two pulleys (34, 36). 11. The arrangement (10) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the arrangement has an assembly device (24) with cells (46) which is placed at the exit zone (20) from the belt (16), each cell (46) being designed to contain the batch (Ln) of products (Pn) and to convey the batch (Ln) toward a downstream processing station.