Feed unit for articles
AssigneeG.D S.p.A.
InventorsAndrea BIONDI, Luca CAVAZZA, Umberto ZANETTI, Enrico CAMPAGNOLI, Antonio GIGANTE
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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.
Claims11
A feed unit for articles, comprising:
- a first feeding device, comprising a guide inside which the articles are moved in rows one after the other by sliding
- 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, said second feeding device comprising at least one screw configured to pick up one article at a time from said removal location and to move the article at a predefined and controlled speed towards a release location,
- 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, wherein said synchronization device comprises two counter-rotating conveyor belts facing each other, and said articles are retained individually between said two counter-rotating conveyor belts when said articles are moved towards said removal location, 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.
A method for feeding articles in a controlled manner, comprising:
- moving said articles along a first feeding device comprising a guide inside which the articles are moved in rows one after the other by sliding,
- receiving said articles from said first feeding device by a synchronization device comprising two counter-rotating conveyor belts facing each other
- retaining said articles in an integral manner,
- moving said articles by said synchronization device towards a removal location,
- individually picking up said articles by a second feeding device comprising at least one screw at said removal location at a predetermined time interval, and
- adjusting speed of said synchronization device 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.