Description Technical field

The present invention relates to the technical field of automatic machines for the packaging and quality control of tubular articles and subsequent palletisation of the containers. Such novel device assembles a plurality of electromechanical devices having an automated process which makes the packaging of tubes in the boxes (number of pieces per row, quantity of rows, etc.) efficient according to the size of the tube to be packaged and then provides for palletising step.

Prior art

As known, tubular containers, or tubes, must be directed, one by one and with a predetermined orientation, in a straight or carousel conveyor line, suitable for transferring them to a filling station, in which suitable dispensing members fill them with the articles. This is true in the step of filling the tubes, but further stations for controlling possible labelling of the tubes as well as the sealing of the tubes and ejection of any discarded material are provided for “upstream” of the filling station. At the moment there lacks a completely automated process, capable of supplying empty tubes well packed in the boxes which in turn are well positioned on the pallet. In this sense, it is clear from the prior art that the pallets currently used have uniform dimensions and the packs are loaded or arranged manually especially when it comes to small-scale productions or continuously variable productions. In other cases, especially in high production plants, PCs with dedicated software which allow to program the arrangement of the packagings on the pallet are provided for; in this case specialised personnel are required for programming and therefore it is convenient only for repetitive large-scale productions. Thus, besides the fact that there are obvious safety problems when the operator has to interact with the machines that partially package and palletise the tubes, current packaging islands and the related palletisation require human support in order to be able to effectively handle such industrial activities. The technical problem that arises lies in the fact that there is no automated device at all steps of the process. The object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine which is faster than known solutions by combining the palletising step thereof. With reference to the prior art, as a patent which could claim the inventive step of combining the various packaging and palletising processes in a single solution is W02013018074A1 (Apparatus and method for batching, packing and palletizing a granular product). However, it deals with loose and granular products which are not in any way part of the inherent problems of aluminium tubes. Other patents reveal numerous innovations in the palletising industry and others of the innovative packaging method. However, there is no inventiveness and novelty in such product sector as pertains to the implementation of different automated actions enclosed in a single space which are listed in detail in the following description. Description of the in vention

The technical solution obtained from the invention consists in providing a completely automated packaging, product control and palletising island 200, where in all the steps such device also provides for easy access (after release of the safety guard) from every point in all the process steps. Being managed by a PLC, the system is capable of generating and storing a detailed report:

- process faults,

- n° of packed boxes,

- batch n° and total and partial counter, n° of pieces, n° of total products.

The hardware part of the system containing a plurality of assembl ed devices is designed for a totally automatic format change in order to provide - as a technical advantage - the reduction of manual work by the operator in the vision of the supply chain regarding the manufacture of tubes and their packaging. In this sense, there is easy access to all the control panels provided with appropriate buttons necessary for operation in the control areas. The assembly of the plurality of electromechanical devices also comprises a light tower arranged in an area visible from every point of the layout of the assembled system, by means of further light devices positioned on the main control panel. Besides the aforementioned system, there are safety devices, fixed protections and guards for access protected by interlocked safety systems or possible barriers in the access areas of the operator. In addition, there are various emergency buttons along the perimeter of the system, and the anthropomorphic palletiser is automatically deactivated in case of presence not foreseen in the work area.

Such system comprises a plurality of assembled devices capable of forming the box and the lid, inserting the tubes, depositing the box perfectly ready in an area defined for the subsequent step, i.e. palletising with a supply frequency of two tubes every second approximately.

The multifunction system and the relative software, developed for the many packaging applications, contain all the key functions for a simple and fast programming, for all the operations carried out directly in the manufacturing process.

This aspect of seeking more efficient and effective solutions in the tube packaging step represents a technological innovation because it avoids the operator carrying out routine and repetitive operations, i.e. the preparation and control of packagings, the insertion of tubes into prepared boxes and lastly the insertion of packagings, effectively and efficiently positioned on pallets. By way of example, there is a first step of controlling and counting the tubes placed in the packaging and palletising island. A second step of counting and inserting the tubes into the box. A third step of forming the lid, the box and its closure, and finally a fourth and final step of palletising to its degree of saturation, after which it is ejected.

The advantages offered by the present invention are apparent in the light of the description set forth herein and will be further clarified by the accompanying figures and the detailed description thereof.

Descri ption of the figures The invention will be described below in at least a preferred embodiment by way of nonlimiting example and with the aid of the attached figures. With reference to Figure 1, indicated with reference numeral 100 is a plan view of a plurality of electromechanical and electronic devices assembled to ensure a sequential series process, comprising:

- a control station with video cameras 15;

- an unstacking device with vertical electrical axis for boxes 1, the vertical movement ensures the gripping of the box by the anthropomorphic robot 12 always at the same height, allowing the loading in the area underlying other boxes even with the process in progress;

- a position for applying glue for forming the boxes 2, after transferring the sheet, the glue is applied and the four walls of the box are cl osed;

- a sheet supply position 3 for forming the lid with operation identical to position 1;

- a lid forming station 4 with operation 2;

- the electromechanical device positions the box or the sheets in the working areas so as to ensure the conti nui ty of the process 12;

- the rotation of the board 14 carries the empty and inclined box 10 during the filling step 6 by means of an electromechanical device 8;

- a belt 7 conveys the tubes (correct number and position) allowing an easier grip by the electromechanical device;

- the electromechanical device 8 transfers - with the aid of a handling device provided with suction cups (to be replaced depending on the sizes) - the tubes by a number such to be filled by rows in the boxes 6;

- in such position 10, a transversal movement allows the displacement of the box towards the position 4 for the insertion of the lid onto the full box and the loading of the empty box;

- a pneumatic plunger 11 transfers the box to the closing area using the lid;

- the box is transferred to this area 13 so as to be picked up and conveyed for palletisation. Represented with reference to Figure 2 is a process step characterised by the following block diagram 200:

- in the first step 16, there is monitoring by means of video cameras so as to verify the quality of the tubes and possible faulty tubes;

- in the second step 17, there is the counting of the tubes and the insertion of the tubes into the box;

- in the third step 18, there is the forming of the lid, the forming of the box and the closing of the box;

- in the fourth and last step 19, there is palletisation, i.e., in output, the packagings measuring 600 mm x 380 mm x 140 mm, or other volumetric sizes as a function of the volume of the tubular containers to be inserted, where the plurality of packagings of the same volumetric size containing the tubes are inserted onto the pallet up to the m aximum filling of the pallet, saturation step of the pallet. Detailed description of the invention

Further characteristics and advantages of the device according to the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, provided wi th reference to the attached drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example.

In detail, the present invention reveals a system managed by a PLC that provides for choosing the batch to be produced, in which all the information of processes regarding, as final objective, the automated insertion of the tubes in the appropriate boxes and subsequent palletisation. Furthermore, the configuration of the device allows to limit the overall dimensions thereof and to have, at the same time, a high operating speed, certainly capable of meeting the productivity needs of modem industry 4.0 machines. A further object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine which is more versatile with respect to known solutions or, in particular, which allows to easily change another box size and/or tube size.

Such plurality of electromechanical devices process tubes having a diameter of 40 mm, although such size can be varied, and they are designed to work in line with the production machines upstream and downstream of such packaging and palletising island. The maximum size of the boxes to be packaged has the following characteristics: 600 mm x 380 mm x 140 mm, also in this case such volume is variable according to the size of the tubes to be packaged and palletised. Furthermore, such electromechanical devices assembled in a single production process have an acoustic emission below 80 dBA as well as a pneumatic supply of 6 bar and a 400 V50 Htz, three-phase alternating plus neutral and earth-connected electric power supply.

Such plurality of electromechanical and electrical devices allows to reach, as mentioned above, a supply frequency of approximately two tubes per second. A further detail lies in the fact such devices of the i sland are interconnected and, through the continuous exchange of signals, they are made autonomous with each other.

The above ensures a total independence of the production cycle, the loading of the stacks of EPAL and of the blanks being the only thing the operator is required to see to. Such palletisation islands are provided with a large “customisable” warehouse for EPAL and blanks so as to minimise loading operations. Thanks to the flexibility and versatility of application, “robots” can also be used for production solutions in the simultaneous presence of different sizes or products.

Though the present invention has been described by way of non-limiting example, according to some preferred embodiments thereof, it should be observed that variations and/or modifications may be carried out by those skilled in the art without departing from the relative scope of protection, as defined by the attached claims.