Depalletizing machine for picking up and moving groups of articles

A method for picking up and moving groups of articles, including bundles of blanks, comprising:

• providing a depalletizing machine for picking up and moving groups of articles, including bundles of blanks, comprising:
• a containing structure internally provided with at least one receiving area for at least one movable magazine containing one or more groups of articles, including one or more bundles of blanks;
• at least one access opening for allowing the magazine to be inserted into the at least one receiving area and for removing the magazine from the at least one receiving area;
• at least one collection zone configured for receiving a succession of the one or more groups of articles from the at least one movable magazine disposed in the at least one receiving area and for moving the one or more groups of articles towards the outside of the machine and/or towards a processing station;
• at least one sensor configured for detecting a position of the at least one movable magazine within the at least one receiving area;
• a pickup head movable to an upper portion of the containing structure and configured to pick up the one or more groups of articles in succession from the at least one movable magazine disposed in the at least one receiving area and for transferring the one or more groups of articles into the at least one collection zone;
• a control unit configured for setting a predetermined law of motion for the pickup head as a function of at least one information item obtained from the at least one sensor, regarding the position of the at least one movable magazine,
• the at least one receiving area including a plurality of receiving areas and the containing structure internally including the plurality of receiving areas for respective movable magazines of the at least one movable magazine, the plurality of receiving areas each having a respective independent access opening of the at least one access opening and being disposed in sequence along a direction of juxtaposition, and wherein the pickup head is configured to transfer the one or more groups of articles from the plurality of receiving areas to the at least one collection zone;
• inserting the at least one movable magazine into one of the plurality of receiving areas, the at least one movable magazine carrying the one or more groups of articles;
• detecting the position of the at least one movable magazine within the one of the plurality of receiving areas with the at least one sensor;
• picking up the one or more groups of articles in succession from the at least one movable magazine disposed in the one of the plurality of receiving areas and transferring the one or more groups of articles into the at least one collection zone with the pickup head;
• wherein the step of picking up and transferring the one or more groups of articles is accomplished by setting the predetermined law of motion for the pickup head as the function of the at least one information item regarding the position of the at least one movable magazine obtained from the at least one sensor, through an open loop control logic, and wherein the step of inserting the at least one movable magazine into the one of the plurality of receiving areas is accomplished using an automatic, self-propelled trolley.

A depalletizing machine for picking up and moving groups of articles, including bundles of blanks, comprising:

• a containing structure internally provided with at least one receiving area for at least one movable magazine containing one or more groups of articles, including one or more bundles of blanks;
• at least one access opening for allowing the magazine to be inserted into the at least one receiving area and for removing the magazine from the at least one receiving area;
• at least one collection zone configured for receiving a succession of the one or more groups of articles from the at least one movable magazine disposed in the at least one receiving area and for moving the one or more groups of articles towards the outside of the machine and/or towards a processing station;
• at least one sensor configured for detecting a position of the at least one movable magazine within the at least one receiving area;
• a pickup head movable to an upper portion of the containing structure and configured to pick up the one or more groups of articles in succession from the at least one movable magazine disposed in the at least one receiving area and for transferring the one or more groups of articles into the at least one collection zone;
• a control unit configured for setting a predetermined law of motion for the pickup head as a function of at least one information item obtained from the at least one sensor, regarding the position of the at least one movable magazine,
• the at least one receiving area including a plurality of receiving areas and the containing structure internally including the plurality of receiving areas for respective movable magazines of the at least one movable magazine, the plurality of receiving areas each having a respective independent access opening of the at least one access opening and being disposed in sequence along a direction of juxtaposition, and wherein the pickup head is configured to transfer the one or more groups of articles from the plurality of receiving areas to the at least one collection zone;
• wherein the pickup head comprises at least a first pair of pickup elements facing each other and a second pair of pickup elements facing each other and acting in conjunction with the first pair of pickup elements to engage an underside surface of one of the one or more groups of articles supported by the at least one movable magazine to support the one of the one or more groups of articles while the at least one movable magazine is being moved to the at least one collection zone, and wherein the pickup head comprises a retractor mechanism operating between the pickup elements of each of the first pair and the second pair to move the pickup elements of each of the first pair and the second pair according to an adjustment movement towards and away from each other along a first direction of movement, the pickup elements of each of the first pair and the second pair being adjustable independently of the pickup elements of the other of the first pair and the second pair.