The present invention relates to a fork for picking up, transporting, and putting down a load, wherein the load comprises a pattern of partial loads and wherein the fork comprises adjustable fork pins. Such a fork is known from EP1169260. In this document it is described that especially when transferring trays, in particular stacks of trays for eggs with trays comprising a grid pattern of nests for eggs, more particularly in the case of stacks formed by trays of a different origin or made from a different material, it needs to be possible for the pins to be displaced. It is additionally mentioned that this can be implemented automatically.

In the case of processing of patterns of such trays, for example, in the case of loading or unloading pallets, the fork described in EP1169260 is less suitable. With that fork, picking up successive stacks, for instance having mutually different dimensions, viz., in each case a next tower of, for instance six, trays, is possible but highly time-consuming and also involves a risk of the stacking of a tower placed next to it being disturbed. It will be clear that the consequences of this are highly disadvantageous, viz., highly time-consuming in restoration, and irreparable upon damage to such products, i.e., the damaged eggs.

To meet the above shortcoming, the fork according to the invention comprises fork units each having at least two partial pins for picking up, transporting and putting down a partial load with such a fork unit, wherein the fork units are mutually adjustable.

With great advantage, the possibility is thereby accomplished of automating similar but nonetheless different loads. Such automation does not only meet the growing need for the processing of large quantities of such loads but also makes it possible to process multiple streams of products with a single fork system. Such a single system is both space-saving and cheaper in purchase. With great advantage, with such a fork a wide range of types of package can be used and processed in a highly efficient manner.

Further embodiments of the fork according to the invention have one or more of the following features:

the fork units are adjustable prior to picking up of the load, during transporting of the load, after putting down of the load, or in a combination thereof;

the fork units are adjustable independently of each other;

the fork units are automatically adjustable, a control being comprised for delivering control signals;

the control delivers control signals based on detection signals; and the detection signals are delivered by a camera system.

In a further embodiment, monitoring and control can be obtained with a camera system. Further details, specifics and advantages will be described hereinbelow with reference to a drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a robot provided with a fork according to the present invention; and

FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic views of forks according to the present invention.

In the different figures, same parts have the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 1 a robot 1 of a generally known type is provided with a fork 2 according to the invention. Such a robot 1 comprises in a known manner a foot 10 and arms 11, 12, with which a working range or working area for picking up, transferring, and placing loads is delimited. At the end of the arm 12, being the terminal arm, the fork 2 is mounted via a frame 22.

As indicated in FIG. 1, in this exemplary embodiment the fork 2 comprises four fork units 20, each having, in this case two, pins 21. For such a fork unit per se, reference is made to, for example, EP1169260, which unit is especially used for processing trays for eggs with the pins having mutual distances matching the nest patterns of such trays. In FIGS. 2A, 2B, the two views show two possibilities of use. In FIG. 2A the fork units 20 have mutual intermediate distances 30, while in FIG. 2B greater intermediate distances 40 are shown. To anyone skilled in the art it will be clear that such setting possibilities enable processing of, for example, rows of identical loads with different support locations.

Such is the case, for example, with trays of slightly different size utilized on a very large scale in, for example, the egg packing industry. Wholly automatically, the positions of the fork units can be set, while setting constructions which are known to the skilled person in this technology can be used. It is noted that the mutual distance of the pins 21 of each fork unit 20 as such remains the same in this exemplary embodiment (i.e., is not changed upon mutual adjustment of the fork units 20).

Of the earlier-mentioned features, the feature whereby adjustment is applied in putting down can be advantageously applied in placing trays on pallets having positioning edges. To enable such a row to be placed within the edges with a close fit, the fork units 20 may be brought towards each other over a small distance, for example, 0.5 cm, whereby the towers of trays are pressed against each other. In this way, upon further placement and stacking, very firmly formed pallet loads are obtained. When switching to other types of loads, adjustment may already be carried out during the flight to such a next batch.

Automatic adjustment is carried out through control signals which are delivered by a control. Such a control, for example in the form of a computer, may be operated by an operator. Highly suitable for automatic detection are camera systems which are so positioned as to cover the working range of such a robot. To anyone skilled in the art it will be clear that variants of the fork and the use as described above and defined in the claims are considered to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

A further variant can involve automatic adjustment of the pins, individual mutual adjustment of intermediate distances, or even height-adjustable design.