Grouping device and method for grouping discrete rows of articles into a continuous row of articles
AssigneeG.D S.p.A.
InventorsLuca BORDERI, Gianluca PARISINI, Antonio GIGANTE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A grouping device includes a feeding device with a plurality of elongated transport elements to support at least one of discrete rows of articles to be grouped and defining a respective seat in which an open or openable longitudinal end is defined. The grouping device further includes a pusher device to contact a discrete row of articles so that the discrete row slides out of one of the elongated transport elements, and an unloading device to receive, through an interchange zone, the discrete row unloaded through a longitudinal end. The feeding device is configured to position, in sequence, each elongated transport element at the interchange zone.
Claims19
-18. (canceled)
A grouping device for grouping discrete rows of articles into a continuous row of articles, comprising:
- a feeding device including a plurality of elongated transport elements configured to support at least one of discrete rows of articles, wherein each elongated transport element defines a respective seat mainly extending along a longitudinal axis, in which seat an open or openable longitudinal end is defined;
- a pusher device configured to abut against the at least one discrete row of articles so that the at least one discrete row slide out of one of said elongated transport elements through a respective longitudinal end;
- and
- an unloading device configured to receive, through an interchange zone, the at least one discrete row discharged through the respective longitudinal end,
- the feeding device being configured to position, in sequence, each elongated transport element at said interchange zone.
A grouping method for grouping discrete rows of articles into a continuous row of articles, each discrete row defining a respective axis of alignment, said grouping method comprising:
- arranging a plurality of discrete rows of articles on a feeding device so that each discrete stack of articles defines a respective axis of alignment;
- pushing a discrete row of said plurality of discrete rows so that the discrete row slides along said respective axis of alignment;
- unloading the discrete row from said feeding device by passing the discrete row, unloaded through a longitudinal end, through an interchange zone;
- and
- moving the plurality of discrete rows of articles by said feeding device to position, in sequence, each discrete stack of articles in said interchange zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.