U.S. patent application number 13/315744 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-02 for packaging system with sorting station.
This patent application is currently assigned to MULTIVAC SEPP HAGGENMUELLER GMBH & CO. KG. Invention is credited to Michael Lang, Tieme Jan Slomp, Guido Spix.
Application Number | 20120192526 13/315744 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45002530 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120192526 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Spix; Guido ; et
al. |
August 2, 2012 |
PACKAGING SYSTEM WITH SORTING STATION
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a packaging system comprising a
product feeder and a packaging machine, wherein a monitoring unit,
which is arranged upstream of or along the product feeder, detects
at least one characteristic of the products and transmits it to the
control unit. Depending on the category of the packed products, a
downstream sorting station sorts the packagings into collecting
containers provided for them or onto conveyor belts provided for
them. The disclosure also relates to a corresponding method for
operating a packaging system.
Inventors: |
Spix; Guido; (Ulm, DE)
; Lang; Michael; (Buching, DE) ; Slomp; Tieme
Jan; (Ottenholen, DE) |
Assignee: |
MULTIVAC SEPP HAGGENMUELLER GMBH
& CO. KG
Wolfertschwenden
DE
|
Family ID: |
45002530 |
Appl. No.: |
13/315744 |
Filed: |
December 9, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/396 ;
53/52 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 2210/02 20130101;
B65B 57/00 20130101; B65B 25/065 20130101; B65B 57/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/396 ;
53/52 |
International
Class: |
B65B 57/00 20060101
B65B057/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 9, 2010 |
DE |
10 2010 053 872.8 |
Claims
1. A packaging system comprising: a product feeder for feeding
products; a packaging machine provided with an infeed station
arranged downstream of the product feeder for inserting the
products into open package troughs, the packing machine further
including a sealing station for sealing the package troughs to form
packagings; a sorting station; a control unit that is configured to
track the products in a direction of production along at least a
portion of the packaging system; and a monitoring unit arranged
upstream of or along the product feeder for detecting at least one
characteristic of the products and transmitting the at least one
characteristic to the control unit; wherein the sorting station is
configured for sorting, depending on a category of the respective
packed product, the packagings into collecting containers and/or
onto conveyor belts.
2. A packaging system according to claim 1 further comprising a
cutting unit upstream of the product feeder.
3. A packaging system according to claim 1 wherein the packaging
machine comprises a thermoform packaging machine or a tray
sealer.
4. A packaging system according to claim 1 further comprising a
unit for placing an insert into a respective open package trough
prior to insertion of a respective product into the respective open
package trough, or below the respective product on the product
feeder.
5. A packaging system according to claim 1 further comprising a
labeller for applying labels to the packagings such that each label
depends on the category of the respective product in the respective
packaging.
6. A packaging system according to claim 1 wherein the sorting
station comprises at least two collecting containers or conveyor
belts for accommodating packagings depending on the category of the
respective product and a reject container for sorting out empty or
defective packagings.
7. A packaging system according to claim 1 wherein the monitoring
unit comprises a laser system, an X-ray system and/or a vision
system.
8. A packaging system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit
is configured to track the products from the product feeder to the
sorting station.
9. A method of operating a packaging system comprising a product
feeder for supplying products, a packaging machine including an
infeed station for inserting the products into package troughs and
a sealing station for sealing the package troughs to form
packagings, a sorting station for inserting the packagings into
collecting containers or for placing them onto conveyor belts, and
a control unit, the method comprising: tracing by the control unit
the supplied products in a direction of production; detecting by a
monitoring unit, which is provided upstream of or along the product
feeder, at least one characteristic of the products; transmitting
the at least one characteristic to the control unit; and inserting,
at the sorting station, the packagings and the products contained
therein into the collecting containers or transferring the
packagings onto the conveyor belts depending on categories of the
products.
10. A method according to claim 9 further comprising cutting the
products upstream of the product feeder by a cutting unit.
11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the packaging machine is
a thermoform packaging machine or a tray sealer.
12. A method according to claim 9 further comprising placing by a
unit an insert into a respective open package trough prior to
insertion of a respective product into the respective open package
trough, or below the respective product on the product feeder.
13. A method according to claim 9 further comprising applying
labels to the packagings by a labeller, depending on the category
of the respective product.
14. A method according to claim 9 wherein the monitoring unit
detects the at least one characteristic of the products by means of
a vision system, a laser system and/or an X-ray system.
15. A method according to claim 9 wherein the tracing is performed
such that the products are traced from the product feeder up to the
sorting station.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.119(a)-(d) to German patent application number DE 10
2010 053 872.8, filed Dec. 9, 2010, which is incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The disclosure relates to a packaging system as well as to a
method of operating such a packaging system.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Packaging systems comprise a plurality of work stations. At
the beginning of a packaging system, containers can be transferred
to a conveyor system; the conveyor system is normally implemented
as a conveyor belt. If the containers are produced only within the
packaging system by a forming station by thermoforming containers
in a film web, the film web is conveyed along work stations by a
film conveying chain provided on both sides. Subsequently, the
products are placed into the containers. After having been
evacuated and/or flushed with gas, the containers are closed with a
top film in a subsequent sealing station so as to form a package
that guarantees the longest possible shelf life, in particular in
the case of foodstuffs.
[0004] Packaging machines are known, in which, prior to the sealing
station, the still open packages are monitored so as to detect
whether filling with one or a plurality of products has taken place
correctly. If this should not be the case, such a package is
classified as "defective" in the control unit and traced via a line
control so as to sort it out at a discharge station, since this
package should not be carried along until the sequence of
production steps ends.
[0005] Likewise, monitoring systems, preferably vision systems, are
known, which examine closed packagings having attached thereto at
least one label so as to find out whether the label has been
provided, whether the position of the label is correct or whether
the information printed on the label is correct. If a fault of one
of the packagings should be detected during such monitoring, such a
packaging is also here classified as "defective" in the control
unit and traced via a line control so as to sort it out at a
discharge station.
SUMMARY
[0006] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a
packaging system and a method of operating such a packaging system,
which allow a classification of the products.
[0007] Sliced goods, such as slices of ham or bacon, have, e.g.,
different percentages of fat or different areas of fat, whose
percentage is used as a characteristic for classifying the whole
product, e.g., a group of slices. For example, a low percentage of
fat may be classified as characteristic A and a high percentage of
fat may be classified as characteristic B. Also, other
characteristics of the product may be used for the purpose of
classification.
[0008] For the continuation of this text, the term "category" is
defined as a virtual condition of the product in the control unit.
The degree of processing through the work stations is to be
understood as the real condition of the container or of the
packaging in the packaging system. A "container" or a "package
trough" is open for supply of a product; a "packaging" is defined
as a closed container, preferably as a container closed by a top
film.
[0009] A packaging system according to the present disclosure
comprises a product feeder, a packaging machine, which is provided
with an infeed station and with a sealing station, a sorting
station for filling packagings into collecting containers, and a
control unit, said control unit being configured such that all the
products supplied can be traced along a direction of production
from the product feeder to the sorting station. In such a packaging
system, a monitoring unit is provided upstream of or along the
product feeder so as to detect at least one characteristic of the
products and transmit it to the control unit, the sorting station
being configured for inserting, depending on the category of the
respective packed product, packagings into collecting containers
provided for them, or for placing them onto conveyor belts provided
for them.
[0010] The control unit associates the information received from
the monitoring unit with a product characteristic of a certain
category. A category represents a limited range or a range of
values and is associated with the product or the packaging for the
future sequence of production steps. Two, three and also more than
three categories may be defined per characteristic.
[0011] By means of a line control, the control unit traces all the
products from the monitoring unit via the product feeder and the
packaging machine up to the sorting station so as to insert,
depending on the characteristic of the respective product, the
packagings into suitable collecting containers or place them onto
conveyor belts at the sorting station for further processing or for
final packaging. Monitoring units in the packaging machine can here
be dispensed with; in a multi-track thermoform packaging machine,
for example, such monitoring units would have to be provided for
each track so as to examine the packages which are filled with the
product and which are still open. Problems may here arise, since,
due to the film of the package or due to additionally introduced
inserts, an examination of the characteristic of the product is no
longer possible or problematic.
[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the packaging system
comprises a cutting unit, also referred to as slicer, upstream of
the product feeder. The slicer cuts products, such as slices of
sausage, ham or cheese, and transfers a number of slices, as a
portion, to the product feeder.
[0013] The packaging machine is preferably a thermoform packaging
machine or a tray sealer. These types of packaging machines are
used for high outputs and for a high degree of automation.
[0014] In a preferred packaging system, a unit is provided for
placing an insert, prior to insertion of the product, into the open
package trough. In the case of soft film packages, inserts made of
cardboard can be used for supporting the product and for
stabilizing the packaging. The lower surface of the insert, by way
of example, may have printed thereon product information or
manufacturer's information, which can be read on the back of the
packaging when a transparent bottom film is used. A preferred
insert is a so-called "L-board", which substantially comprises two
surfaces defining an "L". After insertion of the L-board, the
product, e.g., a portion of sliced ham, is placed onto the part
positioned on the bottom of the package. The second part of the
L-board is then folded onto the product and will thus cover part of
the product, and also said second part comprises product
information or manufacturer's information which can be read from
the top when a transparent top film is used.
[0015] Preferably, the packaging system comprises a labeller for
applying labels to the top and/or bottom of the packaging depending
on the category of the respective product. This offers advantages
with respect to flexibility and efficiency, since products with
different characteristics, such as the percentage of fat in the
case of ham, can be sliced and packed in a packaging system
comprising only one slicer and only one packaging machine, without
any necessity of retrofitting the packaging system or distributing
the products to a plurality of packaging machines, depending on
their category.
[0016] According to an advantageous embodiment of the packaging
system, the sorting station, which is preferably located at the end
of the packaging system, comprises at least two collecting
containers or at least two conveyor belts for accommodating
packagings, depending on the category of the respective product,
and a container for sorting out empty or defective packagings. The
number of collecting containers and conveyor belts preferably
corresponds to the number of "product categories" to be
differentiated.
[0017] The monitoring station is preferably implemented as a laser
system, an X-ray system or a vision system. Depending on the nature
of the product characteristic to be examined, also a plurality of
different systems may be used. The monitoring station may also be
provided on or in the cutting unit so as to control the thickness
of the respective slices and so as to transmit the detected product
characteristics to the control unit.
[0018] A method of operating a packaging system according to the
present disclosure, which comprises a product feeder, a packaging
machine, an infeed station, a sealing station, a sorting station
for filling packagings into collecting containers or for placing
them onto conveyor belts, and a control unit, is so conceived that
a control unit traces all the supplied products along a direction
of production from the product feeder up to the sorting station,
and a monitoring unit, which is provided upstream of or along the
product feeder, detects at least one characteristic of the products
and transmits it to the control unit so as to insert, at the
sorting station, the packagings and the products contained therein
into the collecting containers or place them onto the conveyor
belts, depending on a category of the products. The control unit is
thus able to transmit the information on the characteristics of the
products to work stations, such as the insert station for
introducing inserts, or the sorting station, so that these work
stations can process the packaging depending on the characteristics
of the packaging.
[0019] Preferably, the products are produced upstream of the
product feeder by means of a cutting unit, also referred to as
slicer. The packaging system can thus process a great variety of
products, such as slices of ham, sausage and cheese, in a flexible
and efficient manner.
[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment, the packaging
machine is a thermoform packaging machine or a tray sealer, which
can be operated by the method according to the present disclosure
in a very efficient and flexible manner.
[0021] Preferably, an insert station places an insert, prior to
insertion of the product, into the open packaging trough so as to
stabilize the packaging or cover part of the product and so as to
use the inserts as carriers for manufacturer's information and/or
product information. Likewise, a variant is imaginable in the case
of which the insert is already placed below the product or the
stack of products on the product feeder. This can be accomplished,
for example, by a belt transition from a first conveyor belt to a
second conveyor belt, in the case of which the respective insert is
supplied to a position between the conveyor belt and the product.
This will be advantageous when the products processed are frozen or
semi-frozen, since this kind of products adhere only very little to
a conveyor belt and may shift due to accelerations or speed
changes. An insert placed below the product already immediately
after a monitoring unit can provide higher process security for the
continued transport on the product feeder, including insertion into
the moulded packaging trough.
[0022] Preferably, a labeller applies labels, depending on the
characteristic of the product, to the packagings. The labels may
comprise information such as materials listing, class of quality,
percentage of fat, weight and/or price.
[0023] According to an advantageous embodiment, the monitoring unit
detects the characteristic of the product by means of a vision
system, a laser system and/or an X-ray system, and transmits this
information to the control unit.
[0024] In the following, an advantageous embodiment of the
disclosure is explained in more detail with reference to the below
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of an embodiment of the
packaging system according to the present disclosure;
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a packaging trough
containing an insert and a product; and
[0027] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a sealed packaging.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] Identical components are designated by identical reference
numerals throughout the figures.
[0029] FIG. 1 shows a packaging system 1 according to the present
disclosure comprising, in the direction of production R, the
following units in succession: [0030] cutting unit 2, [0031]
product feeder 3 [0032] monitoring unit 4, [0033] weigher 5, [0034]
distributor 6, [0035] thermoform packaging machine 7, [0036]
forming station 8, [0037] infeed station (or insertion station) 9,
[0038] sealing station 10, [0039] labeller 11, [0040] separating
station 12 and [0041] sorting station 13 with collecting containers
14 and a reject container 14'.
[0042] Upstream of the infeed station 9 of the thermoform packaging
machine 7, a unit 15 is arranged, which is used for inserting
inserts, e.g. boards 16 or L-boards 17, which are provided in
magazines.
[0043] A control unit 18 is connected to the units 4, 15 and the
stations 11, 13 and is provided with a line control which traces or
tracks all the products 19 by detection on the product feeder 3
along their way through the packaging machine 7 up to the sorting
station 13 and into the collecting containers 14. The control unit
18 may also be the control unit of the thermoform packaging machine
7.
[0044] The individual units and stations are now described in more
detail.
[0045] The cutting unit 2 is a so-called slicer, which cuts off
slices of sausage, ham or cheese, for example, from a caliber and
transfers these slices, stacked or shingled as portions 19 of
several slices, to the product feeder 3.
[0046] The monitoring unit 4 provided on or at the product feeder 3
detects, e.g. by means of a vision system and/or an X-ray
apparatus, the percentage of fat of a ham and/or the size of the
rim of fat of the portions 19, also referred to as products 19,
which are moving past said monitoring unit 4. Being a
characteristic of the product 19, the percentage of fat is divided
e.g. into category A and category B in the control unit 18. Product
19 of category A having the lower percentage of fat is the
higher-quality product 19, and product 19 of category B is the
lower-quality product 19. Also other subdivisions into categories
are imaginable as well as additional categories which, in turn, may
be subdivided more than once. When different categories exist, they
can be transmitted and allocated to all or to only some of the
individual units or stations.
[0047] The weigher 5 weighs each individual portion 19 and
transmits the weight value to the control unit 18, the cutting unit
2, the labeller 11 and/or the sorting station 13.
[0048] The distributor 6 takes over the products 19, hitherto
referred to as portions, arriving in a single track from the
product feeder 3 and distributes them, in the embodiment shown, to
two conveyor belts 20 which extend up to the infeed station 9 of
the thermoform packaging machine 7.
[0049] The thermoform packaging machine 7 comprises a forming
station 8 in which package troughs 22 (cf. FIG. 2) for receiving
therein the product are formed in a first film web. The package
troughs 22 formed in the first film web can be conveyed
intermittently or continuously within the thermoform packaging
machine 7 in a direction of production R by means of a feed device,
which is not shown.
[0050] The infeed unit 15 is arranged between the forming station 8
and the infeed station (insertion station) 9. Depending on the
characteristics of the product 19, the infeed unit 15 inserts into
the package troughs 22 a flat insert 16, also referred to as board,
taken from a first magazine, or an L-shaped insert 17, also
referred to as L-board, taken from a second magazine. The infeed
unit 15 is able to do so, in a manner which is not shown, by means
of a robot or by means of a handling module known in the prior art.
The inserts 16, 17 are used, e.g., in the case of packagings 21
consisting of soft films, for supporting the product 19 and for
stabilizing the packaging 21. In the case of the L-board 17, the
longer part of the L-board 17 is disposed in the package trough 22
and the shorter part projects upwards such that, coming from the
conveyor belts 20, the product 19 can be placed onto the L-board 17
in the package trough 22 in the infeed station 9. In the case of
packages with an L-board 17, the shorter part is folded onto the
top of the product 19 by means of a device which is not shown. This
part of the L-board 17 will then cover part of the product 19. If
the product 19 in question consists of slices of ham, for example,
this part of the product will preferably be the rim of fat.
[0051] In the thermoform packaging machine 7, the two tracks of
package troughs 22 contain different inserts 16, 17 or boards and
on said inserts or boards products 19 of different categories. The
control unit 18 comprises a software-supported line control by
means of which the position of each individual product 19 can be
traced from the monitoring unit 4 up to the sorting station 13 and
additional information, such as the category of the product, can be
carried along and managed and this information can be transmitted
to further units or stations during the sequence of production
steps.
[0052] The sealing station 10, in which the package troughs 22 that
each contain a board 16, 17 and a product 19 are sealed with a
second film web under vacuum and/or a modified atmosphere so as to
obtain packagings 21, is followed by the labeller 11. The labeller
11 applies one or a plurality of labels to the upper and/or lower
surface of each packaging 21. Depending on the category of the
packed product 19, the labels applied are either different labels
or the information printed on the label during the labelling
process is different and directly associated with the product 19.
For example, the weight registered at the weigher 5 and the
category A or B are printed onto the label as information.
According to one variant, a weigher is provided upstream of the
labeller 11 for weighing the packagings 21, which have previously
been separated from one another, and for transmitting the weight
information to the labeller 11 for marking the price.
[0053] In the separating station 12 the packagings 21 consisting of
the two films are separated from one another by means of punching
and/or cutting units, which are not shown.
[0054] The sorting station 13 is provided with a handling unit,
which is not shown, preferably a delta robot for simultaneously
gripping a plurality of packagings 21, said handling unit
transferring the separated packagings, depending on the category of
the product 19, to different collecting containers 14 or final
packaging machines. Packagings 21, which were classified as
"defective" in the line control during the sequence of processing
steps, e.g. due to a missing board or label or due to insufficient
weight of the product, can be sorted out via a reject container
14'. If desired, the products 19, which are identified as products
having an excessively low or excessively high weight, can already
be sorted out prior to feeding them into the packaging machine.
[0055] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not
intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the
invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of
description rather than limitation, and it is understood that
various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various
implementing embodiments may be combined to form further
embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *