System and method for palletizing

A system for the simultaneous infeed of empty pallets and outfeed of a full pallet, the system comprising:

• a palletizing elevator for receiving one of the empty pallets at an upper lever and for lowering same from the upper level to a lower level as products are moved onto said one of the empty pallets;
• an empty pallet elevator for raising another one of the empty pallets to the upper level;
• and
• a conveying system at the upper level between the empty pallet elevator and the palletizing elevator for moving said another one of the empty pallets from the empty pallet elevator to the palletizing elevator while said one of the empty pallets is moved by the palletizing elevator during a filling thereof, the conveying system being articulated between a retracted position, interposed between the empty pallet elevator and the palletizing elevator, and extended positions on opposite sides of the retracted position, the conveying system being extended in opposite directions from the retracted position so that a first extension position extends over the empty pallet elevator on one of the opposite sides of the retracted position and a second extended position extends over the palletizing elevator on the other of the opposite sides of the retracted position, wherein the empty pallet conveying mechanism has a common empty pallet support surface supporting each of the one of the empty pallets and the other one of the empty pallets throughout articulation of the empty pallet conveying mechanism from the first extension position, through the retracted position, to the second extension position on opposite sides or the retracted position;
• wherein the conveying system includes a telescopic fork.

A palletizing method for a palletizing system, where the palletizing system includes

• a palletizing elevator for receiving a first pallet at an upper level and for moving the first pallet from the upper level to a lower level as products are being moved onto the first pallet;
• at least one product picking apparatus for picking products adjacent thereof and for moving the products onto the first pallet on the palletizing elevator;
• an empty pallet elevator for moving a second pallet to the upper level;
• and
• an empty pallet conveying mechanism between the empty pallet elevator and the palletizing elevator for moving, at the upper level, the second pallet from the empty pallet elevator to the palletizing elevator, the empty pallet conveying mechanism being articulated between a retracted position, interposed between the empty pallet elevator and the palletizing elevator, and extended positions on opposite sides of the retracted position, the empty pallet conveying mechanism being extended in opposite directions from the retracted position so that a first extension position extends over the empty pallet elevator on one of the opposite sides of the retracted position and a second extended position extends over the palletizing elevator on the other of the opposite sides of the retracted position, and
• the method comprising:
• receiving products to be palletized on a raised platform;
• repeatedly and simultaneously:
• raising a first empty pallet to the raised platform;
• moving a second empty pallet, on the raised platform, towards a palletizing area defined by an aperture in the raised platform;
• and
• moving the products on a third pallet at the palletizing area until the third pallet is filled while the third pallet is lowered from the raised platform so that an upper level of the products on the third pallet remains generally leveled with the palletizing area;
• exiting the third pallet from under the palletizing area.

A palletizing system comprising:

• a frame;
• a platform supported by the frame that generally defines an upper level;
• a palletizing elevator for receiving a first pallet at an upper level and for moving the first pallet from the upper level to a lower level as products are being moved onto the first pallet, the palletizing elevator comprising a pallet-receiving element that is mounted to the frame for reciprocating movement towards and away from the platform;
• at least one product picking apparatus for picking products adjacent thereof and for moving the products onto the first pallet on the palletizing elevator;
• an empty pallet elevator for moving a second pallet to the upper level, the empty pallet elevator including a pallet-receiving platform that is slidably mounted to the frame;
• a telescopic fork disposed between the empty pallet elevator and the palletizing elevator for moving, at the upper level, the second pallet from the empty pallet elevator, to the palletizing elevator, the telescopic fork being articulated between a retracted position, interposed between the empty pallet elevator and the palletizing elevator, and extended positions on opposite sides of the retracted position, the telescopic fork being extended in opposite directions from the retracted position so that a first extension position extends over the empty pallet elevator on one of the opposite sides of the retracted position and a second extended position extends over the palletizing elevator on the other of the opposite sides of the retracted position;
• at least one product infeed conveyor that is positioned at the upper level within reach of the at least one product picking apparatus for moving products adjacent to the at least one product picking apparatus;
• and
• the platform including an aperture over the palletizing elevator, adjacent the product picking apparatus, that allows passage for the first pallet and for the products that are moved thereon.