Feed unit for articles
AssigneeG.D S.p.A.
InventorsAndrea Biondi, Luca Cavazza, Umberto Zanetti, Enrico Campagnoli, Antonio Gigante
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A feed unit for articles includes: a first feeding device; a second feeding device for individually picking up the articles from the first feeding device at a removal location at a predetermined time interval; and a synchronization device for receiving the articles from the first feeding device and to moving the articles into the removal location. A control system is also provided, to adjust the speed of the synchronization device in such a manner that each article reaches the removal location at the predetermined time interval in order to be picked up by the second feeding device.
Claims14
A feed unit for articles, comprising:
- a first feeding device,
- a second feeding device configured to individually pick up said articles from said first feeding device, wherein said articles are picked up at a removal location at a predetermined time interval,
- a synchronization device configured to receive said articles from said first feeding device and to move said articles into said removal location at an adjustable speed, and a speed control system configured to adjust the adjustable speed of said synchronization device so that each article reaches said removal location at said time interval in order to be picked up by said second feeding device,
- wherein said speed control system comprises:
- a position sensor for detecting a position of an article during movement of the article on said synchronization device upstream of said removal location, to adjust the adjustable speed of said synchronization device.
A method for feeding articles in a controlled manner, comprising:
- moving said articles along a first feeding device,
- receiving said articles from said first feeding device by a synchronization device retaining said articles in an integral manner,
- moving said articles by said synchronization device towards a removal location,
- detecting a position of an article during movement of the article on said synchronization device upstream of said removal location,
- adjusting speed of said synchronization device based on the detected position of the article, in such a manner that each article reaches said removal location at said time interval in order to be picked up by said second feeding device, and
- individually picking up said articles by a second feeding device at said removal location at a predetermined time interval.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.