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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an apparatus and a method to handle articles, in particular flexible articles such as sachets, envelopes or bags for example. The invention also concerns an automatic machine, in particular for packaging articles, comprising said apparatus to handle articles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Apparatuses and methods to handle articles in the field of automated packaging machines or lines are known in the state of the art.

Known apparatuses and methods comprise a line to feed the articles and a line to deliver them.

The feed line and the delivery line are typically conformed as transport belts or chains of a known type. They can, for example, extend parallel or perpendicular to each other.

For example, the feed line transports on it the articles exiting from a work machine or station located upstream, for example a filling station in which the articles to be handled are filled.

On the contrary, the delivery line transports the articles to a work machine or station located downstream, for example a packaging station in which a bagging machine or boxing machine disposes the articles in an ordered manner inside boxes or cartons.

The apparatuses and methods known in the state of the art comprise a manipulator which removes the articles from the feed line and disposes them on the delivery line.

The manipulator can be conformed as a robotized articulated arm with several working axes, for example a robot commonly used in the industrial automation sector and known as a“Delta” robot.

To remove the articles, the manipulator can be provided with suckers which are able to hold the articles by depression during their movement from the feed line to the delivery line.

One example of a known apparatus to handle articles, comprising this type of manipulator, that is, a“Delta” robot provided with suckers, is described in European patent application EP-A1-2.899.148.

In numerous applications it is provided to form piles comprising different articles, which lie resting one on top of the other on the delivery line. In this case, the delivery line can comprise a plurality of drawers, delimited by a pair of opposite lateral sides, each configured to receive a pile of articles.

Other apparatuses to handle articles of a type known in the state of the art, in which a manipulator is provided that removes the articles from a feed line and deposits them on a delivery line, are described, for example, in US patent applications US-A1- 2003/136086, US-A1-2017/203865 and in the German patent application DE-A1-102009022820.

One disadvantage of known apparatuses and methods is that they do not allow to form stable piles of articles on the delivery line, in particular when the articles have a non-homogeneous and irregular shape. For example, this can happen when envelopes have to be handled which have a first flattened end and a second end, opposite the previous one, having a considerable thickness. In this case, piles of articles are generally formed which have on one side all the first ends overlapping each other, at a first vertical height, and on the other side all the second ends overlapping each other, at a second vertical height which is much higher than the first vertical height.

It is obvious that in cases like this the piles of articles are not stable and are much more complex to handle. In fact, the articles can slide down from the pile and there is therefore a high risk of generating working waste due to accidental falls of the piled articles. In particular, this can occur both during the movement of the pile of articles on the delivery line toward the work machine downstream, and also when the pile leaves the respective drawer to be inserted inside a respective box.

Another disadvantage of known apparatuses and methods is that they are not flexible because they are not able to manage the formation of piles that are different from each other, for example having a different number of articles comprised in the different piles or a different disposition of the articles between one drawer and the other.

One purpose of the present invention is to make available an apparatus and a method to handle articles that are perfected with respect to those known in the state of the art.

Another purpose of the present invention is to make available an apparatus and a method able to optimize the disposition of the articles to be handled on a line for conveying the articles to a work station downstream.

Another purpose of the present invention is to make available an apparatus and a method able to form stable piles of articles on the conveying line.

Another purpose is to make available an apparatus and a method able to prevent, or significantly limit, the working waste due to the accidental fall of articles from the piles of articles formed on the conveying line.

Another purpose is to make available a flexible apparatus and method able to form piles of articles on the conveying line which can also differ from one another, for example in the number of articles piled up, or in their disposition in the respective drawer.

Another purpose is to make available an apparatus and a method which allow to handle a large number of articles in the unit of time, compatible with the high productivity of the work stations disposed upstream and downstream of the handling apparatus according to the present invention.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, according to the invention an apparatus to handle articles is made available, comprising feed means to feed the articles toward a removal zone of the articles, handling means to handle the articles configured to remove the articles from the removal zone in order to deposit them on conveying means that comprise one or more groups of reception elements each configured to receive one article or a pile of articles from the handling means and mobile along the conveying means to move the articles toward at least one work station disposed downstream.

According to a characteristic aspect of the present invention, the handling means comprise a plurality of gripping means to grip the articles, which gripping means are configured to rotate the articles around a vertical axis in order to selectively deposit the articles in the reception elements according to a different orientation from the orientation of the articles in the removal zone; wherein the plurality of gripping means are attached to a support element so as to be distanced from each other by a reciprocal distance that is equal to a whole multiple of the interaxis between two adjacent reception elements, the whole multiple being greater than or equal to three.

This disposition advantageously supplies the gripping means with the space necessary to rotate around their own vertical axis so as to be able to modify the orientation of the articles without knocking them or causing collisions between the articles during the rotation.

The apparatus according to the present invention allows to modify the orientation of the articles, advantageously keeping the overall sizes compact, with a simpler and more economic structure compared with known apparatuses.

In one embodiment, the whole multiple is equal to four.

In one embodiment, the gripping means are configured to rotate the articles by about 180° so as to remove them from the removal zone in a“straight” configuration and deposit them in the reception elements in an “upended” configuration.

According to some embodiments, the reciprocal distance between the gripping means is correlated to the length of the articles to be handled, measured according to a main direction of development of the articles. In a preferred embodiment, the reciprocal distance between the gripping means is greater than a half of the length of the articles.

According to embodiments described here, the feed means comprise a plurality of feed lines, equal, for example, to the number of gripping means, and having a configuration such that in the removal zone of the articles by the gripping means, the feed lines are distanced from each other by a distance substantially equal to the reciprocal distance between the gripping means.

According to some embodiments, the apparatus comprises actuator means configured to command the rotation of the plurality of gripping means.

In some embodiments, the actuator means comprise a linear piston and respective pinion-rack connections between the gripping means and the support element. In one embodiment, the rack is associated with the support element, while a pinion cooperating with the rack is associated with each gripping mean.

Advantageously, the actuator means allow to drive the rotation of all the gripping means with a single drive, so as to guarantee a coordinated and simultaneous movement of rotation of the different gripping means.

In one alternative embodiment, the actuator means comprise a couple of linear pistons, each of them being configured to command a respective group of gripping means, for example comprising a number of gripping means equal to a half of the plurality of gripping means comprised in the apparatus.

This configuration is advantageous because it allows to use less cumbersome and powerful linear pistons, which consequently consume less energy and are less expensive.

According to some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a plurality of drive means, which can be associated with respective gripping means, configured to move the latter along the vertical axis so as to vertically offset in an alternate manner adjacent gripping means in such a way that the rotation of the articles takes place on different planes disposed at different vertical heights.

In one embodiment, the drive means can be associated with all the“odd” gripping means, or alternatively with the“even” gripping means, or possibly both with the“odd” ones, and also with the“even” ones, respectively to allow translation along the vertical axis of only the“odd” gripping means, or only the “even” gripping means, or all the gripping means.

This is advantageous because obviously the articles to be handled can have even longer lengths in the main direction of development, without the articles handled by adjacent gripping means knocking or colliding against each other during rotation. Advantageously, this allows to have compact handling means, not excessively extended along the direction of longitudinal development.

In one embodiment, each of the gripping means comprises one or more suckers operatively connected to a vacuum system and configured to contact the articles and to hold them by depression.

In one embodiment, each gripping mean comprises two suckers.

According to some embodiments, the gripping means are rigidly constrained to the support element.

According to some embodiments, the support element of the gripping means is rigidly connected to an articulated arm having at least two working axes configured to move the support element, and with it the gripping means, between the removal zone and the conveying means in a transverse direction, which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of development.

According to one embodiment, the conveying means comprise two groups of reception elements, each moved by a respective movement member driven in movement by a respective motor.

In one embodiment, each of the two groups of reception elements comprises a high number of reception elements, for example twenty or forty.

According to some embodiments, the work station disposed downstream of the handling apparatus comprises a transfer member configured to remove the articles, or the piles of articles from the reception elements. In one embodiment, the transfer member is configured so as to simultaneously remove the articles, or the piles of articles, present in several contiguous elements. In one version, the transfer member is configured to simultaneously remove the articles from a number of reception elements equal to a sub-multiple of the number of total reception elements of the group of reception elements.

In some embodiments, according to the invention two or more apparatuses can be provided to handle articles, located in sequence one after the other in order to cooperate in succession on the same conveying means. In this case, the invention provides a method to handle articles configured to control and coordinate the functioning of the apparatuses so as to saturate the filling of the reception elements.

According to the invention, a method to handle articles is also provided comprising the steps of:

- feeding the articles to be handled toward a removal zone of the articles using feed means,

- removing the articles from the removal zone by means of a plurality of gripping means comprised in handling means of the articles,

- depositing the articles in reception elements comprised in conveying means configured to move the articles toward at least one work station disposed downstream of the apparatus,

- selectively rotating the articles around a vertical axis by means of the gripping means in order to deposit the articles in the reception elements respectively according to a different orientation from, or equal to, the orientation of the articles in the removal zone,

wherein it provides to dispose the gripping means distanced from each other by a reciprocal distance that is equal to a whole multiple of the interaxis between two adjacent reception elements, the whole multiple being greater than or equal to three.

Thanks to the method to handle articles according to the invention it is possible to optimize the disposition of the articles in the reception elements so as to form stable piles of articles and increase the efficiency and productivity of the apparatus.

In one embodiment, the method according to the invention provides to move the conveying means so as to feed the reception elements by a pitch equal to said interaxis, for a number of times equal to the multiple whole.

In this way, it is possible to advantageously fill all the reception elements comprised in one of the groups of reception elements.

In one embodiment, the method according to the invention also provides to move some gripping means vertically along the vertical axis so as to vertically offset the gripping means so that the rotation of the articles takes place on different planes.

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided to vertically move along the vertical axis all the“odd” gripping means, or alternatively to the“even” gripping means, of the succession of gripping means, so as to have two groups of gripping means, one disposed in correspondence with a first work plane Pl disposed at a greater vertical height, and one disposed in correspondence with a second work plane P2 disposed at a lower vertical height, at least during the rotation of the articles.

This is advantageous because obviously the articles to be handled can have even longer lengths along the main direction of development, without the articles being handled by adjacent gripping means knocking or colliding against each other during rotation. It should be noted that this configuration is advantageous because it allows to have compact handling means which are not excessively extended in the direction of longitudinal development.

According to the invention, an automatic machine is also provided, in particular for packaging articles, comprising an apparatus to handle articles as described above and operating according to the method to handle articles.

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure will be better understood with reference to the following description, drawings and attached claims. The drawings, which are integrated and form part of the present description, show some forms of embodiment of the present invention, and together with the description, are intended to describe the principles of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a partial and schematic plan view of an apparatus to handle articles according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a view in lateral elevation, partial and schematic, of the apparatus in fig.

1;

- fig. 3 is a view in front elevation, partial and schematic, of the apparatus in fig. l ;

- figs. 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d are schematic plan views of a sequence of successive operating steps of the apparatus in fig. 1.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical main elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

We will now refer in detail to the various embodiments of the present invention, of which one or more examples are shown in the attached drawings. Each example is supplied by way of illustration of the invention and shall not be understood as a limitation thereof. For example, the characteristics shown or described insomuch as they are part of one embodiment can be adopted on, or in association with, other embodiments to produce another embodiment. It is understood that the present invention shall comprise all such modifications and variants.

With reference to the drawings, we will now describe an apparatus to handle articles, indicated in its entirety by the reference number 10. In particular, the apparatus according to the invention is suitable to transfer articles, in the manner which will be described in greater detail below.

The apparatus 10 according to the invention is particularly suitable to handle articles having a flexible conformation, such as bags, envelopes or sachets. In the attached drawings, the articles to be handled are indicated by the reference number 100. Each article 100 has its own length, intended as an extension along a main direction of extension of the articles, which is indicated by“L” in the attached drawings.

It should be noted that, in the attached drawings, above each article 100 shown, a letter“A” is indicated, for the sole purpose of making the orientation of the articles 100 more immediately obvious.

The apparatus and the method according to the invention are advantageously able to handle both single articles and piles of articles. In the attached drawings, the articles 100 are overlapped to form a pile 101, visible in fig. 2.

The apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of feed lines 11 along which the articles 100 are fed.

In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 comprises ten feed lines 11.

In one embodiment, the feed lines 11 are conformed as suitably sized channels so as to allow the articles to slide.

In some embodiments, each feed line 11 comprises a transporter belt 12 which defines a sliding plane of the articles 100. The transporter belts 12 are driven by one or more motorized rollers 12a (fig. 2).

In one embodiment, the feed lines 11 have rectilinear segments 11a, l ib in which the different feed lines 11 develop parallel to one another and at least a curved segment 11c to connect the rectilinear segments 11a, l ib. The curved segment l ie confers a divergent development on the feed lines 11, which allows to reciprocally distance the feed lines 11 by the desired distance.

It should be noted that, in some embodiments, the articles 100 can reach the feed lines 11 after leaving a first work machine or station located upstream, such as for example a filling station or a welding station for the articles.

The apparatus 10 also comprises a removal zone 13 to remove the articles 100.

In one embodiment, the removal zone 13 is defined in correspondence with the rectilinear segments l ib. In other words, the removal zone 13 is a terminal end portion of the feed lines 11.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 10 comprises abutment means, not shown, for example shaped like one or more barriers disposed at the end of the feed lines 11, adjacent to them, to prevent the articles 100 from accidentally falling from the feed lines 11.

The apparatus 10 also comprises a conveying member 14 configured to move the articles 100 toward a second work machine or station (not shown) located downstream.

In one embodiment, the conveying member 14 comprises a first transporter belt 14a and a second transporter belt 14b.

In some embodiments, each transporter belt 14a, 14b is driven in movement independently of the other transporter belt 14b, 14a.

For this purpose, the apparatus comprises a first motor 15 and a second motor 16 (schematically shown in the operating sequences of figs. 4a-4c), configured respectively to drive the first transporter belt 14a and the second transporter belt 14b.

In one embodiment, the conveying member 14 develops in a direction of longitudinal development X.

In some embodiments, the conveying member 14 comprises a plurality of reception elements 17, each configured to receive one article 100 or a pile of articles 101.

Each reception element 17 comprises at least a pair of opposite separation walls 18 which delimit the compartment in which the articles 100, or the piles of articles 101 are received resting on it.

According to some embodiments, the reception elements 17 are disposed on the conveying member 14 so as to form different groups of reception elements 17.

In a preferred embodiment, a first group 19 of reception elements 17 and a second group 20 of reception elements 17 is provided. The reception elements 17 comprised in the first group 19 are attached to the first transporter belt 14a and are mobile together with it.

The reception elements 17 comprised in the second group 20 are attached to the second transporter belt 14b and are mobile together with it.

The reception elements 17 comprised in the same group 19, 20 are attached to the respective transporter belt 14a, 14b by means of attachment means of a type known in the state of the art and not shown in the attached drawings.

It should be noted that the reception elements 17 comprised in the same group 19, 20 are attached to the respective transporter belt 14a, 14b so as to be adjacent to each other so that the separation walls 18 of adjacent reception elements 17 are in reciprocal contact.

In one embodiment, each group 19, 20 comprises forty reception elements 17.

It should be noted that it is possible to define an interaxis IC between the reception elements 17, indicated in fig. 4a. The interaxis IC can be defined as the distance, measured parallel to the direction of longitudinal development X, between homologous points of two adjacent reception elements 17. For example, the interaxis IC can be measured as the distance between the centerline axes, that is, the axes of symmetry passing through the center of the compartment receiving the articles and extending perpendicular to the direction of longitudinal development X, or between two left or right separation walls of two adjacent reception elements 17.

The apparatus 10 also comprises a manipulator member 21 configured to remove the articles 100 from the removal zone 13, and to deposit them on the conveying member 14.

The manipulator member 21 comprises a support element 22 and a plurality of gripping units 23.

The support element 22 is configured to support the plurality of gripping units 23.

In one embodiment, the gripping units 23 are rigidly constrained to the support member 22 and are attached to the latter so as to be equidistant in the direction of longitudinal development X.

In one embodiment, the gripping units 23 are distanced from each other by a reciprocal distance D which is equal to a whole multiple of the interaxis IC between two adjacent reception elements 17.

According to some embodiments, the whole multiple is greater than or equal to three.

According to a preferred embodiment, the whole multiple is equal to four.

It should also be noted that it is possible to correlate the distance D with the length L of the articles 100.

According to a preferred embodiment, the distance D is greater than half the length L. This ensures that, during rotation, two articles 100 held by two adjacent gripping units 23 do not come into reciprocal contact because the distance D is such that the articles do not hit each other even in the position of maximum interference, that is when - after a rotation of about 90° - the articles are disposed orthogonally with respect to the configurations shown.

In one embodiment, the support element 22 is disposed parallel to the direction of longitudinal development X of the conveying member 14, and therefore extends parallel to the latter.

In one embodiment, the manipulator member 21 comprises ten gripping units 23.

It should be noted that the number of gripping units 23 is equal to the number of feed lines 11, so that each gripping unit 23 can remove one article 100 fed along a respective feed line 11.

Each gripping unit 23 comprises at least one sucker 24 configured to contact and hold the articles 100 by depression. In the version shown, each gripping unit 23 comprises a pair of suckers 24.

The suckers 24 are connected, by means of suitable air ducts, to a vacuum pump, not shown.

The manipulator member 21 comprises a first linear actuator 25 and a second linear actuator 26, for example configured as double-effect oil-dynamic cylinders.

In one embodiment, the first linear actuator 25 is configured to drive a first subset of gripping units 23, for example the first, third, fifth, seventh and ninth gripping unit 23.

In one embodiment, the second linear actuator 26 is configured to drive a second subset of gripping units 23, for example the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth gripping unit 23.

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the manipulator member 21 comprises a single linear actuator configured to drive all the gripping units 23.

In another embodiment, not shown, the manipulator member 21 comprises a plurality of linear actuators, one for each gripping unit 23, each configured to drive the gripping unit 23 directly associated therewith.

The manipulator member 21 provides a system which allows each gripping unit 23 to rotate around its own vertical axis Z (figs. 2 and 3), as schematized by the arrows FI in figs. 1 and 2.

In one embodiment, the system comprises a pinion-rack type connection.

For this purpose, the manipulator member 21 comprises a transmission element 27, which is configured as an elongated element which extends parallel to the support element 22. In the embodiment shown, two transmission elements 27 are provided, each cooperating with a respective linear actuator 25, 26.

Each transmission element 27 is connected to the stem of the respective piston which slides inside the cylinder of the linear actuator 25, 26.

Each transmission element 27 comprises one or more toothed portions which define a rack, with which respective pinions 28 associated with each gripping unit 23 can engage (fig. 2).

In one embodiment, the transmission member 27 comprises toothed portions only in correspondence with the gripping units 23.

In one embodiment, the manipulator member 21 comprises a plurality of drive means 29, which are selectively associated with some gripping units 23.

In one embodiment, the drive means comprise five cylinder-piston assemblies 29, each associated with a respective gripping unit 23. For example, the cylinder- piston assemblies 29 can be associated with the first, third, fifth, seventh and ninth gripping unit 23.

The cylinder-piston assemblies 29 are configured to allow the gripping units 23 with which they are associated to move vertically along the vertical axis Z, as indicated by arrow F2 in fig. 2.

As shown in fig. 2, the suckers 24 are rigidly connected to the stem 30 of the cylinder-piston assembly 29 so that when the latter is driven, the suckers 24 also move vertically. In this way, the gripping units 23 can assume the operating configuration seen better in fig. 3, in which the gripping units 23 are vertically offset in an alternating manner so as to define two distinct planes PI, P2 in correspondence with which the rotation of the gripping units 23 around the vertical axis Z occurs.

The support element 22 is rigidly constrained to an articulated mechanism 31.

The articulated mechanism 31 comprises a frame 32 and a first arm 33 which is hinged to the frame 32 so as to oscillate around a first axis of rotation T1 in the direction indicated by arrow R1 in fig. 2. A third motor 34 is associated with the first arm 33 which commands its movement.

The articulated mechanism 31 comprises a second arm 35 which is hinged to the first arm 33 so as to oscillate around a second axis of rotation T2 in the direction indicated by arrow R2 in fig. 2. A fourth motor 36 is associated with the second arm 35 which commands its movement.

The apparatus 10 also comprises a control and command unit, not shown, which coordinates at least the drive of the motors 15, 16, 34, 35, of the linear actuators 25, 26 and of the cylinder-piston assemblies 29.

We will now describe an operating mode of an apparatus 10 according to the present invention.

Initially, it is provided to feed a plurality of articles 100 along the feed lines 11 with a feed rate that is correlated to the productivity of the work machine or station located upstream.

It should be noted that the feed lines 11 allow to feed the articles 100 in a transverse direction Y, which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of longitudinal development X.

In the example shown, each feed line 11 feeds the articles 100 disposed according to a first“straight” orientation (in which the letter“A” is shown straight).

When the articles 100 reach the terminal ends of the respective feed lines, they are in the removal zone 13.

It is then provided to move the articulated mechanism 31 in such a way that the suckers 24 of the gripping units 23 come into contact with respective articles 100.

The gripping units 23 then remove the articles 100 from the removal area 13 thanks to the action of the suckers 24.

Subsequently, it is provided to move the articulated mechanism 31 again to take the gripping units 23 above the conveying member 14, so that each gripping unit 23 is aligned with a respective reception element 17.

During the movement of the articulated mechanism 31, or as soon as the latter has stopped in the position described above, it is provided to drive the linear actuators 25, 26 to rotate the gripping units 23, and together with them the articles 100 which they are holding, around the vertical axis Z. In this way, the articles 100 are brought into an“upended” configuration (in which the letter "A" is shown upside down), in which they have been rotated by about 180° with respect to the“straight” configuration, to be deposited in the reception elements 17 below, in this same upside down configuration, as shown in fig. 4a.

It should be noted that, prior to the rotation of the gripping units 23 around the vertical axis Z, it is provided to drive the cylinder-piston groups 29 so as to vertically offset the gripping units 23 in an alternate manner and so as to take them into the configuration of fig. 3.

In some embodiments, it is provided to repeat the steps of the method described above a number of times equal to the number of articles 100 which are to be piled one above the other in each reception element 17.

In doing this, the rotation step of the gripping units 23 can be selectively omitted, and consequently also the step which provides to offset them vertically.

For example, the control and management unit, suitably set by the operator, can command the apparatus so that these steps are implemented not with each work cycle, but for example alternately once every two work cycles.

In the example shown in fig. 2, the first two articles 100 (at the bottom in the pile 101) are disposed according to the straight configuration, and in this case the gripping units 23 have not performed any rotation during their transfer, while the last two articles 100 (at the top in the pile 101) have been rotated by 180° to be disposed in the reception element 17 according to the upended configuration. It should also be noted that, according to some embodiments, the apparatus 10 and the corresponding method are very flexible because it is possible to command the different linear actuators 25, 26 differently from each other so as to form piles 101 consisting of articles 100 disposed differently depending on whether the articles were removed and deposited by gripping units 23 driven by one or the other linear actuator 25, 26.

Subsequently, it is provided to feed the conveying member 14 by an incremental pitch, equal to the interaxis IC. In this way, the reception elements 17 adjacent to those that have just been filled are aligned with the gripping units 23 above, and are therefore ready to be filled.

It is then provided to repeat the operations described above until the piles 101 are formed in these reception elements 17 as well, by performing - or not - the rotation step according to the configuration provided for the pile 101 being formed.

Fig. 4b shows a step of filling the reception elements 17, in which the uppermost articles in the pile are in the straight configuration, unlike the adjacent piles that had previously been formed. To demonstrate the great flexibility of the apparatus 10, the latter therefore allows to form piles 101 disposed in adjacent reception elements 17, having a different configuration from one another.

Subsequently, it is provided to feed the conveying member 14 by a second and a third incremental pitch (fig. 4c and 4d), always equal to the interaxis IC, and to repeat all the operations described above so as to form other piles 101 in respective reception elements 17, still empty.

At the end of the sequence of operations described above, the first group 19 of reception elements 17 has been completely filled. In this case, the complete filling is obtained with four complete work cycles (figs. 4a-4d) because the distance D is equal to four times the interaxis IC.

It is obvious that if the distance D is equal to a whole multiple of the interaxis IC other than four, the first group 19 of reception elements 17 can be completely filled with a number of complete cycles equal to said whole multiple.

It should be noted that, while the first group 19 is being filled, in the work station downstream it is provided to gradually empty the second group 20 of reception elements 17, which had previously been filled.

As visible on the right side of figs. 4a-4d, a transfer member 37 is provided, configured to transfer the articles 100, or piles 101, from the conveying member 14 to the work station downstream. The transfer member 37 can comprise a plurality of abutment elements 38 intended to engage with respective piles 101 of articles to free up an equal number of reception elements 17.

For the correct functioning of the apparatus, it is provided that the abutment elements 38 are a sub-multiple of the total number of reception elements 17 comprised in each group 19, 20. In the example shown, the transfer member 37 comprises four abutment elements 38, while each group 19, 20 comprises forty reception elements 17.

It should be noted that, after the second group 20 has been completely emptied, the second motor 16 can drive the second transporter belt 14b to take the second group 20 near the first group 19 (fig. 4d), in particular while the latter is finishing being filled, so that a second group 20 of reception elements 17 to be filled is ready to replace the first group 19 as soon as the latter has been completely filled with the piles 101 of articles 100.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or steps can be made to the apparatus and/or method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of apparatuses and methods, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.