Pouch Collection Robot System And Method For The Assembly And Collection Of Non-Filled Spouted Pouches
AssigneeIpn IP B.V.
InventorLaurens Last
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a pouch collection robot system (1) and method for the collection of non-filled spouted pouches (10) to be transported to a remote filling device. According to the invention, at least one pick and place robot unit (25) with a gripping device (28) is provided to pick up a non-filled spouted pouch (10) from a conveyor (5), and to place the non-filled spouted pouch (10) into alignment with one of a multiple of storage rails (21), allowing the non-filled spouted pouch to be placed into the storage rail.
Claims23
Pouch collection robot system (1) for the collection of non-filled spouted pouches (10) to be transported to a remote filling device, comprising:
- a conveyor (5) adapted to receive the non-filled spouted pouches;
- a camera system (11) provided adjacent the conveyor (5), operable to perform visual observations on the conveyor, thereby identifying the non-filled spouted pouches,
- multiple storage rails embodied to hold a plurality of non-filled spouted pouches by engaging on their spouts, which storage rails are positioned adjacent the conveyor;
- at least one pick and place robot unit (25), each unit comprising:
- a gripping device (28), comprising at least one gripper that is adapted to pick up a non-filled spouted pouch (10) from the conveyor (5), and to place the non-filled spouted pouch into alignment with one of the multiple storage rails (21), allowing the non-filled spouted pouch to be placed into the storage rail,
- a robot arm (29) connected to the gripping device (28), adapted to transport the gripping device,
- a controller (31) adapted to control the at least one pick and place robot unit (25) on the basis of a stacking program and the observations from the camera system (11).
Storage cassette (20) comprising two opposite rows (85) of storage rails (21) that are embodied to hold a plurality of non-filled spouted pouches by engaging on their spouts, wherein the storage rails are each provided with a longitudinal slot (21f), wherein the slots (21f) of the rails (21) of one row are parallel and vertically orientated and all face the same direction, substantially opposite the slots of the rails of the opposite row, the storage cassette being provided with a row of lower rail holders and a row of opposed upper rail holders, wherein a lower rail holder and opposed upper rail holder are adapted to hold a rail in the storage cassette, wherein preferably the storage rails in a row are provided close to one another such that the pouches of the non-filled spouted pouches will overlap at their sides, and wherein preferably the opposed rows of storage rails are provided close to one another such that the pouches of the non-filled spouted pouches will overlap at their ends, opposite the spouts.
A gripping device (28) for non-filled spouted pouches, adapted to be connected to a robot arm of a pick and place robot unit, comprising two adjacent grippers (28a,28b) which are adapted to pick up two non-filled spouted pouches (10) from a conveyor (5), and place the two spouted pouches substantially simultaneously into alignment with two of the multiple storage rails (21), arranged parallel and side by side in a first row (85), the gripping device further comprising two adjacent pressing rods (28c, 28d) extending vertically downwards, opposite the grippers, each of the pressing rods being adapted to press a spouted pouch that has previously been placed into alignment with a storage rail by the pressing rod into the storage rail, allowing the gripping device to substantially simultaneously place two spouted pouches into alignment with two storage rails (21) of the first row, and press two spouted pouches that have previously been placed into alignment with two storage rails, arranged parallel and side by side in an opposed second row by the pressing rod into the storage rails of the opposed row.
In combination:
- a storage cassette (20) comprising two opposite rows (85) of storage rails (21) that are embodied to hold a plurality of non-filled spouted pouches by engaging on their spouts, wherein the storage rails are each provided with a longitudinal slot (21f), wherein the slots (21f) of the rails (21) of one row are parallel and vertically orientated and all face the same direction, substantially opposite the slots of the rails of the opposite row, the storage cassette being provided with a row of lower rail holders and a row of opposed upper rail holders, wherein a lower rail holder and opposed upper rail holder are adapted to hold a rail in the storage cassette,
- a gripping device (28) for non-filled spouted pouches, adapted to be connected to a robot arm of a pick and place robot unit, comprising two adjacent grippers (28a,28b) which are adapted to pick up two non-filled spouted pouches (10) from a conveyor (5), and place the two spouted pouches substantially simultaneously into alignment with two of the multiple storage rails (21), arranged parallel and side by side in a first row (85), wherein the mutual distance between storage rails in a row of the storage cassette corresponds to the mutual distance between the grippers of the gripping device, wherein preferably the mutual distance between the storage rails allows the pouches of the non-filled spouted pouches to overlap at their sides.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.