Installation for automated straightening of a candle wick and associated automated straightening method

A method for automatically straightening a plurality of candle wicks inside a plurality of receptacles containing a fusible combustible material in a solidification phase such that a candle wick is inside each of the plurality of receptacles, said method comprising:

• isolating rows of the plurality of receptacles into rows of receptacles using a spacing unit such that spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles are fed to an inlet of a straightening station;
• detecting an initial position of the candle wick inside each receptacle of the spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles using a detection system configured to detect an initial position of the candle wick;
• and
• grasping the candle wick inside each receptacle of the spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles in the initial position and displacing said candle wick until said candle wick is vertically straight inside each receptacle using a movable gripping system configured to grasp and displace the candle wick inside each receptacle of the spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles, wherein the movable gripping system comprises a plurality of clamps attached to a manipulator movable along a vertical direction (Z) and along at least one horizontal direction (X, Y), the plurality of clamps adapted to grasp a plurality of wicks;
• wherein a control system is connected to said detection system and to said movable gripping system, the control system operable to drive said detection system to detect and receive said initial position of the candle wick inside each receptacle of the spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles relative to each receptacle, and drive said movable gripping system from a rest configuration to an initial configuration in which said movable gripping system grasps the candle wick inside each receptacle of the spaced apart rows of the plurality of receptacles when in the initial position and then to a final configuration in which said movable gripping system vertically straightens the wick inside each receptacle.