APPARATUS FOR ORDERLY SUPPLY OF A GROUP OF TRAYS TO A SEALING MACHINE OF SAID TRAYS, WITH APPLICATION OF A COVERING FILM

摘要

The external conveyor supplying the trays coming from the filling machine is connected to a conveyor (1) formed of parallel straps or belts (101), which has a greater length than the length of the group of trays of larger dimensions to be grouped together and which is provided in the end part with components inserted between the belts (101), a comb lifter (9) of a length correlated with the length of said tray group to be formed, connected to lifting and lowering means with suitable acceleration and deceleration ramps. Upstream of the lifter (9), sensors (16) are provided which detect the position in space of the trays arriving from the external conveyor in succession, and a processing and control unit (12) is provided to process the information arriving from said sensors (16), from a transducer which detects the advance speed of said conveyor belt (1) and from software which is provided with information on at least the dimensions of the trays to be closed and which is such that said trays are progressively ordered one after the other and at the necessary distance on said comb lifter (9), which cyclically lifts them and deposits them onto the end part of said conveyor (1), which is controlled with variable motion by said unit (12). The last lifting run of the lifter (9) is such as to allow insertion under the tray group ordered on it of the teeth (117) of a comb (17), which then transfers the ordered group of trays to the sealing and cutting station of the tray sealer.

主权项

1. An apparatus for ordering groups of trays upstream of the sealing and cutting station of a tray sealer, of the type comprising at least a conveyor (1) connected to a corresponding conveyor which supplies the trays coming from the filling machine, has a greater length than the length of the group of trays with larger dimensions to be grouped and which comprises, in the initial part, sensors (16) and lifting means of the trays coming from said conveyors and their transit speed, characterised by at least said conveyor (1) being formed of parallel straps or belts (101) and being provided in the end part with components inserted between the belts (101), a comb lifter (9) with planar dimensions correlated with those of said group of trays of maximum dimensions to be formed, connected to lifting and lowering means which operate with suitable acceleration and deceleration ramps, said means (16) being provided upstream of said lifter (9) and detecting the position in space of the trays arriving in succession from the external supply conveyor, and being provided with a processing and control unit (12) for processing the information coming from said sensors (16), from a transducer which detects the advance speed of said conveyor belt (1) and from software to which information relating to at least the dimensions of the trays to be closed is supplied each time and which is such that the trays are progressively ordered one after the other and at the necessary distance on said comb lifter (9), which cyclically lifts them and deposits them onto said conveyor (1), which is controlled with variable motion by said unit (12), respectively to maintain them ordered one after the other and to group them in an increasing quantity, with at least the last lifting run of the lifter (9) being envisaged as an amount such as to allow transversal insertion beneath the group of trays ordered on said lifter of horizontal teeth (117) of a comb (17) which, while said lifter returns to the lowered position to repeat a new working cycle, takes over support of the ordered group of trays and then transfers them into the sealing and cutting station of a tray sealer, with the order necessary to supply said station.