DESC:FIELD
The present disclosure relates to the field of handling machines, more specifically machines for handling packaging solutions for articles such as medical devices.
BACKGROUND
The background information herein below relates to the present disclosure but is not necessarily prior art.
A number of methods of packing articles including medical devices using the polymeric material are well known. One such method requires forming trays with the help of a thermoforming machine which heats polymer sheets and shapes cavities onto the sheets with the desired configuration using a form die. The cavities, thus formed, receive the devices, and ensure that they are not dislocated while being transported from one location to another. Another known method is forming the trays using compression moulding machines. Both these methods require a skilled operator and ample time to monitor the machines to achieve the desired output. As the world moves forward to polymer-free alternatives, the usage of polymer trays needs to be limited. This led to the necessity of eco-friendly solutions such as paper trays. Due to the fragile nature of paper, it is equally important for a machine that can handle such specially formulated paper trays.
There is therefore felt a need for a machine for handling paper trays for packaging articles that alleviates the aforementioned drawbacks.
OBJECTS
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a machine to handle a biodegradable and sustainable tray for packaging a medical device
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a provision in a machine to handle different types of the paper trays for different medical devises
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide eco-friendly solutions which will avoid the use of the plastics to pack the medical devises/products by use of biodegradable and eco-friendly paper trays.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a machine which is cost-effective and has a simple configuration.
Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure envisages a machine for handling paper trays for packaging articles.
The machine comprises a monobloc frame, a paper tray loading conveyor provided along an operative side wall of the frame, a magazine unit positioned adjacent to the paper tray loading conveyor, a paper tray forming unit provided beneath the magazine unit, a flap locking unit connected to the paper tray forming unit, and a pick-and-place unit.
The paper tray loading conveyor is provided along an operative side wall of the frame. The paper tray loading conveyor is configured to receive a stack of unformed paper trays having a plurality of flaps and locking notches configured thereon. The paper tray loading conveyor is further configured to linearly displace the trays forward. The magazine unit is configured to receive the unformed paper trays, and orient them vertically. The paper tray forming unit retrieves each the unformed tray from the magazine unit. The paper tray forming unit is configured to position the tray into an upright configuration. The forming unit includes a suction pad attached to a vacuum source, a crank disc mechanism driven by a servo motor, and a set of forming parts configured to assist in erecting the side walls of the tray. The flap locking unit receives the formed trays from the paper tray forming unit. The flap locking unit includes a guide rod configured to bend and engage the flaps of the trays into the locking notches of the trays. The pick-and-place unit has a robot configured to insert an article in a formed tray, and close the tray.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
A machine, of the present disclosure, for handling paper trays for packaging articles will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of the machine of the present disclosure;
Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figure 4 illustrate a cut section of the machine of Figure 1;
Figure 5 illustrates an isometric view of the machine describing the monobloc frame of the machine;
Figure 6 illustrates a rear view of the machine of Figure 5;
Figure 7 illustrates an isometric view of a paper tray loading conveyor with a magazine unit of the machine of Figure 1;
Figures 8 and 9 illustrate isometric view of a paper tray transport conveyor of the machine of Figure 1;
Figure 10 illustrates an isometric view of a paper tray forming unit of the machine of Figure 1;
Figure 11 illustrates an isometric view of a flap locking of the machine of Figure 1;
Figure 12 illustrates an isometric view of a nested conveyor of the machine of Figure 1; and
Figure 13 illustrates an isometric view of a robot of the machine of Figures -2-12;
Figure 14 illustrates an isometric view of a vision inspection unit of the machine of Figure 1;
Figure 15 illustrates an isometric view of a pusher unit of the machine of Figure 1; and
Figure 16 illustrates an isometric view of a rejection bin of the machine of Figure 1.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
1000 Machine
100 Monobloc Frame
102 Main Electrical Control Panel
104 Electric Input Connections
106 Robot Control Panel
108 ON and OFF Switch
110 Sub Control Panel
112 Doors
113 Door switch for safety interlock
115 Levelling Feet
200 Paper Tray Loading Conveyor
202 Tray Feeding Sensor
203 Emergency Switch
204 Minimum Level Sensor
207 Hitter Cylinder
300 Magazine Unit
303 Magazine Width Adjustment Knob
306 Magazine Length Adjustment Knob
400 Paper Tray Forming Unit
402 Suction Pad
405 Eccentric Crank Disc
406 Servomotor
412 Tie Rod
414 Homing Sensor
416 Tray Erection Unit
417 Tray Forming Vacuum Unit
418 Homing Sensor
419 Servo Motor
500 Flap Locking Unit
502 Flap Locking Block
503 Guide Rod
506 Servo Motor
508 Flap locking homing sensor
602 Robot
604 Gripper
606 Gripper Solenoid Valve
800 Paper Tray Transport Conveyor
802 Fixed shoulder
804 Movable Shoulder
805 Paper tray width adjuster
806 Paper tray length adjuster
808 Paper tray presence check sensor
900 Nested Conveyor
902 Exchangeable Nests
940 Vision inspection unit
950 Pusher Unit
952 Timing Belt Unit
954 Pusher Positional Sensor
956 Servo Motor
958 Clutch Sensor
989 Homing Sensor
960 Pusher Plate
970 Rejection Bin
972 Bin Full Sensor
974 Lock-and-Key Unit
1200 Cartoning machine
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments, of the present disclosure, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details are set forth, relating to specific components, and methods, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.
The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the forms “a”, “an” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “including”, “includes” and “having” are open-ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated features, elements, modules, units and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
A machine (1000), of the present disclosure, for handling paper trays for packaging articles will now be described in detail with reference to Figure 1 through Figure 16.
The machine (1000) comprises a monobloc frame (100), a paper tray loading conveyor (200) provided along an operative side wall of the frame, a magazine unit (300) positioned adjacent to the paper tray loading conveyor (200), a paper tray forming unit (400) provided beneath the magazine unit (300), a flap locking unit (500) connected to the paper tray forming unit (400), and a pick-and-place unit (600).
In an embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 through 6, the frame (100) has a balcony-type construction, which improves the operation and maintenance of the machine (1000), and better in terms of GMP considerations. In another embodiment, the frame (100) is of carbon steel and stainless steel and is configured to house therewithin other components such as a main electrical control panel (102), electric input connections (104), a robot control panel (106), an ON and OFF switch (108), a sub control panel (110), machine safety guards, and doors (112). In another embodiment, the frame is composed of a plurality of doors (112) which are interlocked with the help of door switch for safety interlock (113). In yet another embodiment, the frame includes a plurality of levelling feet (115) for stabilizing the machine (1000).
The paper tray loading conveyor (200), as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 7, is configured to receive a stack of unformed paper trays having a plurality of flaps and locking notches configured thereon.
In one embodiment, the paper tray loading conveyor (200) includes an emergency switch (203), a minimum level sensor (204), a tray feeding sensor (202), and a hitter cylinder (207). The emergency switch (203) is configured to be pressed by an operator to stop the machine immediately, and switch off the operation in case of defect or emergency. The minimum level sensor (204) is configured to detect the minimum level of the unformed trays received on the paper tray loading conveyor (200). The tray feeding sensor (202) is configured to continuously monitors the amount of feed of trays on the paper tray loading conveyor (200). If there is a malfunction or blockage in feed distribution, the sensors are configured to detect inconsistencies or failures in the feeding process, and transmit feed sensed signals to the control panel which then stops the operation of the machine along with generating an alarm.
In an embodiment, the hitter cylinder (207) helps in facilitating the forward flow of the paper trays by creating controlled vibrations.
The magazine unit (300) is configured to receive the unformed paper trays, and orient them horizontally, preparing them for the forming stage. In one embodiment, the magazine unit (300) includes a magazine width adjustment knob (303) and a magazine length adjustment knob (306). The magazine width adjustment knob (303), and a magazine length adjustment knob (306) are configured to adjust the width and length of the magazine with respect to the width and length of the trays. This allows the machine (1000) to handle trays of different dimensions that correspond to various articles requiring packaging.
In an embodiment, the magazine unit (300) includes a set of arresting fingers positioned at an exit end thereof, to control the release of individual trays into the paper tray forming unit (400).
In an operative configuration of the machine (1000), as the trays are fed into the paper tray loading conveyor (200), they are displaced linearly in a forward direction, ensuring smooth and consistent movement toward subsequent stages of the process. The trays rest with their thickness on the conveyor belt, stabilized by the weight of the stack, which prevents them from tipping and helps push them into the magazine. Intermittent motion is provided to this conveyor by a pneumatic arrangement for pushing forward the paper trays loaded on the conveyor belt into the magazine. The orientation of the cardboard trays shifts from vertical to horizontal as they reach the end of the magazine unit (300).
The paper tray forming unit (400) is mounted directly beneath the magazine unit (300). The paper tray forming unit (400) is configured to retrieve each unformed tray. In an embodiment, the paper tray forming unit (400) includes a tray forming suction mechanism defined by a suction pad (402) attached to a vacuum source for retrieving the unformed tray. The paper tray forming unit (400) is configured to pull an unformed paper tray out of the magazine unit (300), and position it upright with the help of an array of mechanisms to accomplish the shaping process. The array of mechanisms includes the tray forming suction mechanism, a crank die mechanism having an eccentric crank disc (405) driven by a servo motor (406), a tie rod (412), a homing sensor (414) and a set of forming parts configured to assist in erecting the side walls of the tray. In an embodiment, the set of forming parts may include a tray erection unit (416), a tray forming vacuum unit (417), a homing sensor (418), and a servo motor (419).
More specifically, the suction pad (402) grips each tray by means of vacuum, while the servo-motor-driven crank disc mechanism with the set of forming parts, work together to erect the tray’s side walls.
The crank disc (405) rotates the guide rod moves up and down. As the tie rod (412) moves upward, the suction pad (402) holds the paper tray by vacuum; and as it moves downward, it pulls the unformed paper tray out of the magazine unit (300), overcoming the resistance of the arresting fingers.
As the paper tray moves down with the suction pad (402), it contacts the forming parts that help erect the side walls of the paper tray vertically.
Following the forming phase, the flap locking unit (500) is configured to receive the formed trays from the paper tray forming unit (400). The flap locking unit (500) includes a guide strip (503) configured to bend and engage the flaps of the trays downwards into the locking notches configured thereon.
In another embodiment, the flap locking unit (500) includes a crank and guide rod mechanism driven by a servo motor (506). As the servo motor (506) rotates, the guide strip (503) moves up and down. The servo motor (506) operates when the paper tray is positioned directly below the flap locking unit (500), thereby inserting the flap locking block (502) into the paper tray, folding the flaps into the correct position so that the notches on the flaps are inserted in the respective cut-outs. After this operation, the paper tray is completely formed, and can retain its formed configuration; and is ready for product feeding (i.e., placing of articles into the paper tray).
In an embodiment, the flap locking unit (500) includes a polymeric flap locking block (502) located at an operative end of the guide rod. The flap locking block (502) is configured to be aligned with the locking flaps before each engagement cycle to ensure precise engagement and successful locking of the flaps into the locking notches.
In one embodiment, the flap locking unit (500) includes a homing sensor (508) positioned to detect an initial position of the flap locking block (502), and transmit a tray position signal.
In an embodiment, the guide strip (503) is actuated via a combination of vertical and horizontal movements enabled by a servo motor (506). The guide strip (503), which is connected to the servo motor (506), moves downwards toward the tray when it is positioned beneath the flap locking unit (500) on the transport conveyor (800). This downward movement positions the flap locking block (502) in alignment with the flaps of the tray. As the guide strip (503) continues its motion, the flap locking block (502), located at the end of the guide rod, contacts the flaps and presses them downwards. The configuration of the flap locking block (502) may include specific contours or projections that help fold the flaps into the locking notches configured on the tray, securing them in place. After engaging the flaps into the notches, the guide strip (503) retracts, returning the flap locking block (502) to its initial or ‘home’ position, ready to align with the flaps on the next tray.
In another embodiment, the guide strip (503) may be actuated by means of a cam mechanism. In yet another embodiment, a cam and guide slot mechanism can be used to assist in directing the movement of the guide strip (503) for precision, while the servo motor (506) controls the sequence of engagement and retraction. This setup allows repeatable, accurate positioning for each locking cycle.
The machine includes a pick-and-place unit having a robot (602) that is configured to pick and place an article into a formed tray, and close the tray. In another embodiment, the robot (602) is stationed at a predefined position along the length of the conveyor. In yet another embodiment, the pick-and-place unit may include a plurality of robots (602). In still another embodiment, the robot (602) may be a robotic arm.
In an embodiment, the machine (1000) includes a cartoning machine (1200) which is configured to pack the paper trays into cartons.
Thus, the article is fully placed into the now fully formed and locked tray, completing the tray-loading and item-placement operation. Each unit, from loading to forming to locking, thus operates in a coordinated manner to ensure efficient, precise formation and loading of trays within the machine (1000).
In a further embodiment, the paper tray loading conveyor (200) includes a pneumatic cylinder configured to drive the tray advancement along the conveyor.
In an embodiment, the paper tray forming unit (400) includes a servo motor configured to drive the crank disc mechanism.
In an embodiment, the machine (1000) includes a paper tray transport conveyor (800) configured to communicate with the paper loading conveyor to receive the trays, and indexes and conveys the trays beneath the different processing stations such as the flap locking unit (500) and the robot (602). In another embodiment, the paper tray transport conveyor (800) is provided beneath these stations. In yet another embodiment, the paper tray transport conveyor (800) receives the formed trays from the paper tray forming unit (400) for subsequent actions to be facilitated by the stations.
In another embodiment, the paper tray transport conveyor (800) includes a plurality of roller chains having a set of adjustable fingers configured to securely hold trays of varying dimensions. In one embodiment, the paper tray transport conveyor (800) is driven by a servomotor (419), and is defined by a plurality of roller chains and sprockets. To further elaborate, the roller chain is specially made with fingers mounted on it at an equal pitch. There are two sets of roller chains and sprockets, with special guides made of stainless steel and plastic strips for supporting the paper tray. One set on the rear side is fixed and another on the operator side is adjustable to accommodate paper trays of different lengths. Both sets are driven by a single servomotor (419). The position of the fingers on the left-hand side of the paper tray is fixed and the fingers on the right-hand side of the paper tray can be adjusted by rotating the sprocket on the shaft to accommodate paper trays of different widths. The paper tray transport conveyor (800) further includes a servo motor configured to enable intermittent transport movement of the paper tray transport conveyor (800).
In an embodiment, the paper tray transport conveyor (800) includes a plurality of fixed and movable shoulder (802, 804) to accommodate trays of varying lengths, by cooperating with the roller chains and the sprocket. The fixed shoulder (802) are configured to maintain a constant position on one side of the tray, and the movable shoulder (804) have an adjustable configuration to securely engage trays of different lengths. In another embodiment, the paper tray transport conveyor (800) may include a paper tray width adjuster (805) and a paper tray length adjuster (806) configured to accommodate the width and length of the tray. In yet another embodiment, the paper tray transport conveyor (800) may include a paper tray presence check sensor (808) configured to sense the successful formation of the paper trays, and generate a tray forming signal.
When the vacuum is switched off, the suction pad (402) releases the paper tray so the bottom of the paper tray rests on the transport conveyor guides.
At this position, the fingers of the transport conveyor (800) are in contact with the side wall of the paper tray on the right-hand side which helps the paper tray stay erected. On the left-hand side of the paper tray, the fingers remain slightly away from the side wall of the paper tray as they are in slightly inclined due to their position on the sprocket. Fingers on both sides of the paper tray come in contact with the side walls of the paper tray as the transport conveyor (800) starts moving, in this way these fingers hold the paper tray securely between them in a formed condition.
The servo motor operates when the transport conveyor (800) stops and the paper tray is positioned exactly below the flap locking unit, thereby allowing insertion of the flap locking block (502) into the paper tray, and folding the flaps to the appropriate position so that the notches on the flaps are inserted into the respective cut-outs. After this operation, the paper tray is completely formed and ready for product/article feeding.
In an embodiment, the machine (1000) includes a nested conveyor (900) configured to deliver articles to the robot (602). The nested conveyor (900) is defined by a plurality of exchangeable nests (902) adapted to match different shapes and sizes of articles.
In a further embodiment, the machine (1000) includes a pallet recirculation machine (not shown) configured to move with the conveyor, or configured to be stopped at a required place without stopping the conveyor. The pallet recirculation machine (not shown) is configured to deliver articles to the robot (602). The conveyor in this case is a closed-loop conveyor on which the pallets are recirculated.
In another embodiment, the robot (602) includes a robotic arm equipped with a gripper (604) configured to grip articles received from the nested conveyor (900) by vacuum or mechanical engagement, based on article size and shape.
In yet another embodiment, the robot (602) includes a gripper solenoid valve (606) configured to control vacuum or compressed air supplied to the gripper (604) to secure articles of varying shapes and weights during transport from the nested conveyor (900) to the trays.
In an embodiment, the machine (1000) includes an inspection unit configured to inspect trays on the transport conveyor (800). The inspection unit has a vision inspection unit (940), which is typically an image capturing unit, for capturing tray images to determine tray acceptance.
In an embodiment, the vision inspection unit (940) includes a lighting unit (not shown in figures) configured to optimize image capture by the vision inspection unit (940). The lighting unit (not shown in figures) has an adjustable configuration to enhance image accuracy for different tray and article types.
In one embodiment, the machine (1000) includes a pusher unit (950) positioned along an operative edge of a product conveyor of the pick-and-place unit. The pusher unit (950) has a timing belt unit (952) driven by a servo motor (956), and is configured to be deactivated in response to the inspection unit detecting a defective tray. In an embodiment, the pusher unit (950) includes a clutch sensor (958), a homing sensor (989), and a pusher plate (960).
In another embodiment, the pusher unit (950) includes a pusher positional sensor (954) configured to detect alignment of the pusher with trays on the transport conveyor (800), and transmit a sensed alignment signal. The pusher unit (950) may be configured to be operated in two operative positions, i.e., operating position and lifted position. The pusher position sensor checks if the pusher unit (950) is in operating position. If the pusher unit (950) is not in its operating position, the pusher position sensor will transmit a sensed signal, based on which the control system will display an alarm and machine cannot be started.
In an embodiment, the lifted position of the pusher unit (950) is required for maintenance or for removing the paper trays from conveyor. In another embodiment, the operator can put the pusher unit (950) in any of the two positions manually.
In an embodiment, the control panel configured to house the various elements of control system configured to control various actuators and the operation of the machine. The control system is configured to :– a) receive the sensed tray signal, and actuate a first actuator to cease advancement of the conveyor in the absence of trays; b) receive the formed tray signal, and actuate a second actuator to halt operation in the event of tray engagement failure; c) receive the tray position signal, and actuate a third actuator to facilitate alignment of the block with the locking flaps before each engagement cycle; d) receive the captured tray images, analyse the images, and deactivate the timing belt unit (952) in the event of detection of a defective tray; and e) receive the sensed alignment signal, and actuate a fourth actuator to ensure accurate positioning of the pusher with the trays before engaging each accepted tray.
In an embodiment, the first actuator, the second actuator, the third actuator, and the fourth actuator are the servomotors.
In one embodiment, the machine (1000) includes a rejection bin (970) positioned adjacent to the transport conveyor (800) and configured to receive defective trays. The rejection bin (970) includes a bin full sensor (972) to detect capacity status and generate a trigger alarm when the bin reaches full capacity.
In another embodiment, the rejection bin (970) includes a lock-and-key unit (974) configured to ensure authorized access to the bin.
The advantages of the machine (1000) are as follows:
• Efficient Tray Formation and Loading: The machine enables seamless, coordinated operations from tray loading to forming, locking, and article placement, maximizing productivity.
• Precision in Tray Handling: Adjustable fingers on the paper tray transport conveyor securely hold trays of varying dimensions, ensuring precise handling and transport through different stations.
• Flexibility for Varied Tray Sizes: With adjustable shoulder and tray width and length adjusters, the machine can accommodate trays of multiple sizes, enhancing versatility across different product requirements.
• Reliable Tray Locking Mechanism: The flap locking unit ensures secure and complete tray formation, with the locking block positioning the flaps and inserting notches into cut-outs, reducing the risk of tray deformation.
• Controlled and Adjustable Transport: The servo-driven transport conveyor provides precise, intermittent movement, allowing for accurate positioning and timing at each processing station.
• Enhanced Inspection and Quality Control: The integrated vision inspection unit with adjustable lighting captures images of trays for defect detection, ensuring only high-quality trays proceed to the loading phase.
• Defect Handling and Rejection: The pusher unit and rejection bin efficiently remove defective trays from the process flow, preventing defective products from reaching downstream operations.
• Minimized Downtime and Enhanced Efficiency: The control panel coordinates various sensors and actuators to detect tray presence, alignment, and engagement failures, reducing operational delays and interruptions.
• Adaptable Product Handling with Robotic Flexibility: The robotic arm equipped with vacuum or mechanical grippers accommodates articles of different shapes, sizes, and weights, allowing easy adjustments for product diversity.
• Accurate Article Placement in Trays: The robot precisely positions articles into fully formed trays, enhancing the reliability of item placement and reducing product misalignment.
• Space-Saving Recirculation System: The closed-loop pallet recirculation system allows for continuous movement or stoppage as needed, optimizing space and product flow within the machine.
• Quick and Safe Tray Adjustment: The tray width and length adjusters allow operators to modify tray dimensions quickly, enabling fast setup for different production runs.
• Automated Quality Alerts: The bin-full sensor in the rejection bin triggers alerts when the bin reaches capacity, enabling timely intervention and preventing machine slowdowns.
• Improved User Security and Access Control: The lock-and-key unit on the rejection bin ensures only authorized personnel access defective trays, adding a layer of security to the process.
• Reduced Manual Intervention: With automated sensors, actuators, and a comprehensive control system, the machine minimizes the need for manual adjustments, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing labour costs.
• High Output and Productivity: The combined use of servo motors, adjustable conveyors, and precise robotic handling increases the machine’s output, meeting high production demands effectively.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.
TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS
The present disclosure described hereinabove has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of a machine, for handling paper trays for packaging articles, which:
• is cost-effective and has a simple configuration:
• can identify defects in the tray to efficiently reject the defective trays;
• facilitate mass-production of such trays;
• is an automated machine; and
• handles different types of the paper trays for different medical devises with use of suitable size parts.
The foregoing disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.
The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
Any discussion of materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.
The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.
,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:
1. A machine (1000) for handling paper trays for packaging articles, said machine (1000) comprising:
• a monobloc frame (100);
• a paper tray loading conveyor (200) provided along an operative side wall of said frame (100), said paper tray loading conveyor (200) configured to receive a stack of unformed paper trays having a plurality of flaps and locking notches configured thereon, said paper tray loading conveyor (200) further configured to linearly displace the trays forward;
• a magazine unit (300) positioned adjacent to said paper tray loading conveyor (200), said magazine unit (300) configured to receive said unformed paper trays, and orient them vertically;
• a paper tray forming unit (400) provided beneath said magazine unit (300) to retrieve each said unformed tray therefrom, said paper tray forming unit (400) configured to position the tray into an upright configuration, said forming unit (400) including a suction pad (402) attached to a vacuum source, a crank disc mechanism driven by a servo motor (406), and a set of forming parts configured to assist in erecting the side walls of the tray;
• a flap locking unit (500) connected to said paper tray forming unit (400) to receive the formed trays therefrom, said flap locking unit (500) including a guide rod configured to bend and engage the flaps of the trays into the locking notches of the trays; and
• a pick-and-place unit having a robot (602) configured to pick and place an article in a formed tray, and close the tray.
2. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frame includes a plurality of levelling feet (115) for stabilizing said machine (1000).
3. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said paper tray loading conveyor (200) includes a tray feeding sensor (202) configured to detect the presence of trays on said paper tray loading conveyor (200), and transmit a sensed tray signal.
4. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said paper tray loading conveyor (200) includes a pneumatic cylinder configured to drive tray advancement along said conveyor (200).
5. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magazine unit (300) includes a set of arresting fingers positioned at an exit end thereof to control the release of individual trays into said paper tray forming unit (400).
6. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said paper tray forming unit (400) includes a servo motor (406) configured to drive said crank disc mechanism.
7. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, which includes a paper tray transport conveyor (800) configured to receive the paper loading conveyor, and convey them through the different processing stations such as the magazine unit (300), the paper tray forming unit (400), the flap locking unit (500) and the robot (602).
8. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 7, wherein said paper tray transport conveyor (800) includes a plurality of roller chains having a set of adjustable fingers configured to securely hold trays of varying dimensions, and a servo motor configured to enable intermittent transport movement of said paper tray transport conveyor (800).
9. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 7, wherein said paper tray transport conveyor (800) includes a plurality of fixed and movable shoulder (802, 804) to accommodate trays of varying widths, wherein said fixed shoulder (802) are configured to maintain a constant position on one side of the tray, and said movable shoulder (804) have an adjustable configuration to securely engage trays of different widths.
10. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flap locking unit (500) includes a flap locking block (502) provided at an operative end of said guide rod, said flap locking block (502) configured to be aligned with the locking flaps before each engagement cycle to ensure precise engagement and successful locking of said flaps into the locking notches.
11. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flap locking unit (500) includes a homing sensor positioned to detect an initial position of said flap locking block (502), and transmit a tray position signal.
12. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, which includes a nested conveyor (900) configured to deliver articles to said robot (602), said nested conveyor (900) defined by a plurality of exchangeable nests (902) adapted to match different shapes and sizes of articles.
13. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 12, wherein said robot (602) includes a robot (602) equipped with a gripper (604) configured to grip articles received from said nested conveyor (900) by vacuum or mechanical engagement based on article size and shape.
14. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 13, wherein said robot (602) includes a gripper solenoid valve (606) configured to control vacuum pressure supplied to said robot (602) to secure articles of varying shapes and weights during transport from said nested conveyor (900) to the trays.
15. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, which includes an inspection unit configured to inspect trays on said transport conveyor (800), said inspection unit having a vision inspection unit (940) for capturing tray images to determine tray acceptance.
16. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 15, wherein said vision inspection unit (940) includes a lighting unit (not shown in figures) configured to optimize image capture by said vision inspection unit (940), said lighting unit having an adjustable configuration to enhance image accuracy for different tray and article types.
17. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, which includes a pusher unit (950) positioned along an operative edge of a product conveyor, said pusher unit (950) having a timing belt unit (952) driven by a servo motor, and configured to be deactivated in response to detection of a defective tray.
18. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 17, wherein said pusher unit (950) includes a pusher positional sensor (954) configured to detect alignment of said pusher with trays on said transport conveyor (800), and transmit a sensed alignment signal.
19. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, which includes at least one control panel configured to house the various elements of the control system for controlling various actuators and the operation of the machine, said control system configured to:
o receive said sensed tray signal, and actuate a first actuator to cease advancement of said conveyor in the absence of trays;
o receive said formed tray signal, and actuate a second actuator to halt operation in the event of tray engagement failure;
o receive said tray position signal, and actuate a third actuator to facilitate alignment of said block with said locking flaps before each engagement cycle;
o receive said captured tray images, analyse said images, and deactivate said timing belt unit (952) in the event of detection of a defective tray; and
o receive said sensed alignment signal, and actuate a fourth actuator to ensure accurate positioning of the pusher with the trays before engaging each accepted tray.
20. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 1, which includes a rejection bin (970) positioned adjacent to said transport conveyor (800) and configured to receive defective trays, said rejection bin (970) including a bin full sensor (972) to detect capacity status and generate a trigger alarm when said bin reaches full capacity.
21. The machine (1000) as claimed in claim 20, wherein said rejection bin (970) includes a lock-and-key unit (974) configured to ensure authorized access to said bin (970).

Dated this 16th day of November, 2024

_______________________________
MOHAN RAJKUMAR DEWAN, IN/PA – 25
of R.K.DEWAN & CO.
Authorized Agent of Applicant

TO,
THE CONTROLLER OF PATENTS
THE PATENT OFFICE, AT MUMBAI