Method and unit for forming group of products
AssigneeG.D Societa' Per Azioni
InventorsAndrea Biondi, Fiorenzo Draghetti
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and unit for forming groups of products, whereby an orderly first succession of products is fed to an input of a conveying path along which a screw conveyor, rotating continuously about a respective axis and having a given number of variable-pitch threads, converts the first succession into an orderly second succession of groups as the products are fed along the conveying path.
Claims20
In a unit (59) for forming groups (2) of products (3), each of said groups comprising a given number (N) of said products (3), the improvement of said unit (55) comprising:
- supply means (9) for feeding an orderly first succession (5) of said products (3);
- and
- a variable-pitch conveying means (12) for conveying said products (3) from said first succession (5) along a path (P) from an input (7) to an output (8) of said path (P), said supply means being adjacent to said input (7);
- wherein said variable-pitch conveying means (12) comprise a single screw conveying member (63) for rotating continuously about a first axis (12a) and, for said products (3), a number of peripheral channels (70) equal in number to said given number (N) to feed at least one of said products (3) of each of said groups (2) respectively along said peripheral channels (70), said peripheral channels (70) having respective longitudinal second axes (70a), said longitudinal second axes (70a) winding substantially helically about said first axis (12a) with respective variable pitches;
- guide means (49) extending along said path (P) and adjacent to said single screw conveying member (63) to guide said products (3) along said channels (70) as said single screw conveying member (63) rotates about said first axis (12a), so that, as said products (3) are fed along said path (P), said first succession (5) is converted into an orderly second succession (6) of said groups (2) of said products (3).
A unit for forming groups of products, each group (2) comprising a given number (N) of products (3), and the unit (55) comprising supply means (9) for feeding an orderly first succession (5) of products (3);
- and a variable-pitch conveying means (12) defining a given path (P), said conveying means (12) feeding the products (3) in the first succession (5) along said path (P) from an input (7) to an output (8) of said path (P);
- said supply means being adjacent to said input (7);
- wherein said variable pitch conveying means (12) comprise a single screw conveying member (63) rotating about a first vertical axis (12a) and comprises, for said products (3), a number of peripheral channels (70) equal in number to said given number (N);
- the conveying member (63) rotating continuously about said first axis (12a) to feed at least one of said products (3) of each group (2) along each channel (70);
- each channel (70) having a respective longitudinal second axis (70a), said longitudinal second axis (70a) winding substantially helically about the first axis (12a) with a respective variable pitch, said unit comprising guide means (49) extending along said conveying path (P) and adjacent to said channels (70) to guide said products (3) along said channels (70) as the single screw conveying member (63) rotates, in use, about said first axis (12a), so that, as the products (3) are fed along said path (P);
- said first succession (5) being converted, in use, in an orderly second succession (6) of said groups (2) of products (3).
A unit for forming groups of products, each group (2) comprising a given number (N) of products (3), and the unit (55) comprises supply means (9) for feeding an orderly first succession (5) of products (3);
- a variable-pitch conveying means (12) defining a given path (P), said conveying means (12) feeding the products (3) in the first succession (5) along said path (P) form an input (7) to an output (8) of said path (P);
- and an output conveyor (11) for receiving said groups (2);
- said supply means being adjacent to said input (7) and said output conveyor (11) being adjacent to said output (8);
- wherein said variable pitch conveying means (12) comprises a single screw conveying member (63) rotating about a first vertical axis (12a) and comprises, for said products (3), a number of peripheral channels (70) equal in number to said given number (N);
- the conveying member (63) rotating continuously about said first axis (12a) to feed at least one product (3) of each group (2) along each channel (70);
- each channel (70) having a respective longitudinal second axis (70a), said longitudinal second axis (70a) winding substantially helically about the first axis (12a) with a respective variable pitch;
- said unit comprising guide means (49) extending along said conveying path (P) and adjacent to said channels (70) to guide said products (3) along said channels (70) as the single screw conveying member (63) rotates, in use, about said first axis (12a), so that, as the products (3) are fed along said path (P);
- said first succession (5) being converted, in use, into an orderly second succession (6) of said groups (2) of products (3);
- said single screw conveying member (63) comprising a wedge-shaped arc portion (71) adjacent to said output for pushing said groups (2) onto said output conveyor (11).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.