Method and device for grouping product blanks

A method for grouping empty oblong products (4) in the form of cans, tubes or cartridges, the products (4) being delivered by a delivering conveyor (5) from a production line for producing the products (4), and placed on a conveyor belt (3) and conveyed by the conveyor belt (3) at a conveying speed along a conveying section (S) in a conveying direction (F), a group of products (P) comprising several of the products (4) being simultaneously transferred from the conveyor belt (3) into receiving means (6) by transfer means (7), the transfer means (7) being displaced towards the receiving means (6) in a transfer direction (T) at an angle perpendicular to the conveying direction (F) while moving with the group of products (P) in the conveying direction (F) in order to transfer the products (4), and the receiving means (6) being displaced perpendicular to the conveying direction (F) and perpendicular to the transfer direction (T) after each transfer of a group of products (P) or after the transfer of multiple groups of products (P) so as to be able to receive the next group of products (P) above or below the groups of products (P) already transferred,

• wherein
• during the transfer of the group of products (P), both the receiving means (6) and the transfer means (7) are displaced along the conveying section (S) in the conveying direction (F) synchronously with the conveyor belt (3) and with the group of products (P) to be transferred conveyed thereon, and, once the transfer is complete, are displaced along the conveying section (S) against the conveying direction (F) in order to transfer another group of products (P′) into the receiving means (6), and wherein the receiving means can be displaced by means of a robot arm in a reciprocating manner along the conveying direction and perpendicular thereto or, alternatively, along two displacement axes disposed at an angle to each other by two superimposed translational movements oriented at an angle to each other and each taking place along one of the displacement axes.