U.S. patent application number 13/668588 was filed with the patent office on 2013-05-09 for method and system for palletizing peat moss.
This patent application is currently assigned to LES TOURBIERES BERGER LTEE.. The applicant listed for this patent is LES TOURBIERES BERGER LTEE.. Invention is credited to ROLAND BELISLE, REGIS BERGER, STEPHANE BOURGAULT, ALBERT COUILLARD, DANIEL LEBEL, DENIS LEBEL, MARCO PARE, YVES PARE, ROCH POITRAS.
Application Number | 20130111851 13/668588 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48222530 |
Filed Date | 2013-05-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130111851 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BERGER; REGIS ; et
al. |
May 9, 2013 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PALLETIZING PEAT MOSS
Abstract
A system for palletizing peat moss in bulk form, comprising a
dosing and feeding unit; a filling and compaction unit, receiving
an amount of peat moss determined by the dosing and feeding unit,
and compressing each determined amount of peat moss into a
compressed bloc of peat moss on a pallet; a stabilization unit,
receiving, from the filling and compaction unit, pallets, each
pallet supporting a compressed bloc of peat moss, and wrapping the
compressed bloc for stabilization thereof; a weighing and height
measuring unit, measuring each compressed bloc received from the
stabilization unit; and a wrapping unit, finally wrapping each
measured compressed bloc.
Inventors: |
BERGER; REGIS; (QUEBEC,
CA) ; BELISLE; ROLAND; (BELOEIL, CA) ;
COUILLARD; ALBERT; (ST-CYRILLE DE WENDOVER, CA) ;
LEBEL; DENIS; (ST-EPIPHANE, CA) ; LEBEL; DANIEL;
(BAIE-SAINTE-ANNE, CA) ; POITRAS; ROCH; (LAVAL,
CA) ; PARE; MARCO; (RIVIERE-DU-LOUP, CA) ;
PARE; YVES; (BAY DU VIN, CA) ; BOURGAULT;
STEPHANE; (RIVIERE-DU-LOUP, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LES TOURBIERES BERGER LTEE.; |
SAINT-MODESTE |
|
CA |
|
|
Assignee: |
LES TOURBIERES BERGER LTEE.
SAINT-MODESTE
CA
|
Family ID: |
48222530 |
Appl. No.: |
13/668588 |
Filed: |
November 5, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61555715 |
Nov 4, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/436 ;
53/527 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 11/045 20130101;
B65B 63/02 20130101; B65B 11/00 20130101; B65B 1/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/436 ;
53/527 |
International
Class: |
B65B 1/24 20060101
B65B001/24 |
Claims
1. A system for palletizing peat moss in bulk form, comprising: a
dosing and feeding unit; a filling and compaction unit, receiving
an amount of peat moss determined by said dosing and feeding unit,
and compressing each determined amount of peat moss into a
compressed bloc of peat moss on a pallet; a stabilization unit,
receiving, from said filling and compaction unit, pallets, each
pallet supporting a compressed bloc of peat moss, and wrapping the
compressed bloc for stabilization thereof; a weighing and height
measuring unit, measuring each compressed bloc received from said
stabilization unit; and a wrapping unit, finally wrapping each
measured compressed bloc.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said dosing and feeding unit
comprises at least one feeding line, each line comprising a
doser.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein said dosing and feeding unit
comprises a conveyor feeding peat moss and an equalizer
automatically selecting amounts of peat moss to be conveyed to said
filling and compaction unit.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said dosing and feeding unit
comprises a conveyor feeding peat moss, an equalizer automatically
selecting amounts of peat moss to be conveyed to said filling and
compaction unit, and a sampler collecting reference samples.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said filling and compaction unit
comprises a compaction box, said compaction box comprising a top
part and a bottom part, said bottom part being mobile and adapted
to move away from the top part after compression of the determined
amount of peat moss into a compressed bloc to deliver a pallet
supporting the compressed bloc of peat moss from said filling and
compaction unit to said stabilization unit and return to said
filling and compaction unit and reunite with said top part for
compression of a next determined amount of peat moss.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein said top and bottom parts are
sealed together by a mobile flange during compaction, said mobile
flange being adapted to disengage the two parts to allow the bottom
part to move away from the top part.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein said filling and compaction unit
comprises a pallet manipulator feeding the filling and compaction
unit with pallets for receiving loads of peat moss as determined by
said dosing and feeding unit.
8. The system of claim 5, wherein said filling and compaction unit
comprises a pallet manipulator positioned at the back of the
compaction box, said pallet manipulator depositing one pallet at a
time at the back of the compaction box, and, when the bottom part
is ready to receive a load of peat moss as determined by said
dosing and feeding unit, letting the pallet slide inside the bottom
part for receiving the determined amount of peat moss.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein said filling and compaction unit
comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement controlling a
compaction ratio and a height of the compressed bloc of peat
moss.
10. The system of claim 5, wherein said compaction box comprises
tapered bores on walls thereof as air vents.
11. The system of claim 5, wherein said compaction box comprises
inner round corners.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein said stabilization unit
comprises a stationary rotary arm stretch wrapper.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein said stabilization unit
comprises a top platen, adapted to move to contact the top surface
of the bloc upon arrival from the filling and compaction unit.
14. The system of claim 1, wherein said weighing and height
measuring unit comprises a scale and a linear resistance.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein said wrapping unit comprises a
turn table.
16. A method for palletizing peat moss in bulk form, comprising: a)
determining an amount of peat moss corresponding to a target bloc;
b) feeding the determined amount to a compaction box and compacting
into a compacted bloc supported by a pallet; c) stabilizing the
compacted bloc; d) measuring the compacted bloc; and e) wrapping
the pallet with the compacted bloc thereon.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step a) comprises
automatically determining a volume of peat moss according to a
target peat moss bloc.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein said step a) comprises
automatically determining a volume of peat moss according to a
target peat moss bloc and collecting a sample amount of peat moss
as a reference for calculating a volume in a bloc in said step
d).
19. The method of claim 16, wherein said step b) comprises feeding
the amount of peat moss determined in step a) in the compaction
box, compressing the peat moss on a pellet inserted in the
compaction box, and conveying the compacted bloc on the pallet to a
stabilization unit.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein said step b) comprises feeding
the determined amount of peat moss compressing the determined
amount of peat moss once.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein said step b) feeding a first
portion of the determined amount of peat moss, compressing the
first amount, feeding a remaining portion of the determined amount
of peat moss, and compressing.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein said step b) comprises feeding
the determined amount of peat moss compressing the determined
amount of peat moss twice.
23. The method of claim 16, wherein said step b) comprises
inserting one pallet at a time in the compaction box for receiving
a next load of peat moss.
24. The method of claim 16, wherein said step c) comprises wrapping
a first layer of film about the compressed bloc.
25. The method of claim 16, wherein said step d) comprises
measuring the height and the weight of the compacted bloc.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims benefit, under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e), of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/555,715,
filed on Nov. 4, 2011. All documents above are incorporated herein
in their entirety by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to improvements in the field
of peat moss bulk shipping. More particularly, the invention
pertains to a method and apparatus for palletizing peat moss in
bulk compressed form.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] More specifically, in accordance with the present invention,
there is provided a system for palletizing peat moss in bulk form,
comprising a dosing and feeding unit; a filling and compaction
unit, receiving an amount of peat moss determined by the dosing and
feeding unit, and compressing each determined amount of peat moss
into a compressed bloc of peat moss on a pallet; a stabilization
unit, receiving, from the filling and compaction unit, pallets,
each pallet supporting a compressed bloc of peat moss, and wrapping
the compressed bloc for stabilization thereof; a weighing and
height measuring unit, measuring each compressed bloc received from
the stabilization unit; and a wrapping unit, finally wrapping each
measured compressed bloc.
[0004] There is further provided a method for palletizing peat moss
in bulk form, comprising a) determining an amount of peat moss
corresponding to a target bloc; b) feeding the determined amount to
a compaction box and compacting into a compacted bloc supported by
a pallet; c) stabilizing the compacted bloc; d) measuring the
compacted bloc; and e) wrapping the pallet with the compacted bloc
thereon.
[0005] Other objects, advantages and features of the present
invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following
non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given
by way of example only with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] In the appended drawings:
[0007] FIG. 1a is a schematical perspective view; FIG. 1b is a
schematical top view; and FIG. 1c is a schematical side view; of a
system according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present
invention;
[0008] FIG. 2a is a schematical view of a doser in the system of
FIG. 1, and FIG. 2b is a detail of FIG. 2a;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a schematical view of a sampler in the system of
FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 4a is a first perspective schematical view; FIG. 4b is
a side schematical view; and FIG. 4c is a second perspective
schematical view, of a compaction box according to an embodiment of
an aspect of the present invention;
[0011] FIGS. 5a and 5b--show details of FIG. 4a;
[0012] FIG. 6 shows details of FIG. 4a;
[0013] FIG. 7 a) is a perspective partial schematical view and b)
is a top view, of a compaction box according to an embodiment of an
aspect of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 8 shows a conveyer according to an embodiment of an
aspect of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 9 show a pallet feeder a) in down and b) up positions
according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 10 show a) a top view of a compaction box according to
an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention b) a top view
of a vent in a wall of the compaction box according to an
embodiment of an aspect of the present invention and c) a
perspective view of a palletized bloc according to an embodiment of
an aspect of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 11 is a) a side view and b) a top view of units of the
system of FIG. 1; and
[0018] FIG. 12 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a
method of palletizing peat moss according to an embodiment of an
object of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0019] As illustrated for example in FIG. 1, a system according to
an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention comprises a
dosing and feeding unit 12, a filling and compaction unit 14, a
stabilization unit 16, a weighing and height measuring unit 18, a
wrapping unit 20 and an output unit 22.
[0020] The illustrated dosing and feeding unit 12 comprises two
feeding lines (I) and (II), each line comprising a doser 30 (FIG.
1a).
[0021] The doser 30 is essentially a supply of peat moss, fed with
peat moss from the back. As illustrated in FIG. 2a, a doser 30
comprises a conveyor 310 and an equalizer 320, the equalizer 320
pushing the material towards the front (see arrow A in FIG. 2a).
The equalizer 320 comprises rotating aluminum bats 322 that
gradually push the material forwards, ensuring constancy in volumes
by using a number of sensors positioned at intervals, each one
corresponding to a predetermined volume, and monitored through a
panel view 330 (see FIG. 2b). The volumes are thus automatically
selected, without manual manpower, by selecting a sensor from the
panel view 330. Filling of the doser, equalizing and dumping from
the doser, at the front end of the doser 30, into the compaction
box of the filling and compaction unit 14 are all controlled by an
automate (PLC) and fully automatic.
[0022] As best seen in FIG. 3, a sampler 324 is provided at the
back of the doser 30, for collecting a reference volume, i.e. a
cubic foot box for example, of material of each amount determined
by the doser 30. A cubic foot box (12 in.times.12 in.times.12 in)
is fed by a sampler screw 325 in a cubic box (not shown), and the
weight of the cubic foot is measured by the PLC and stored as a
reference. The cubic box is then emptied for a next sampling and
measurement. This is done twice for each amount determined by the
doser 30 for a given bloc of predetermined volume, for example 240
cubic foot, since it is found that an average over two reference
measurements provides a reasonable accuracy for the bloc. This
sampling is controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC) and
fully automatic. Another sampler (not shown) may be provided to
collect material sampling, for humidity content testing for
example.
[0023] The doser 30 thus determines the amount of material to be
fed into the compaction box 40 of the filling and compaction unit
14 for a specific bloc.
[0024] As people in the art will appreciate, in the present system,
the volumes are determined upstream of the filling and compaction
unit 14. Moreover, by providing two feeding lines (I) and (II), as
best seen in FIG. 1a, typically one feeding line for coarse peat
moss and one feeding line for fine peat moss, the system allows
production of two different products, using the same wrapping
units, by allowing compaction of a bloc of a first type, for
example coarse peat moss, at the filling and compaction unit 14
while wrapping of a bloc of a second type, for example fine peat
moss, at the wrapping units, in a continuous process. As a result,
the speed and production rate are increased since different types
and qualities of peat moss can be processed concurrently with the
same system.
[0025] The amount of peat moss determined by the doser 30 is dumped
from the front end of the doser 30 into the compaction box 40 of
the filling and compaction unit 14, positioned below the dosing and
feeding unit 12 in FIG. 1a. This discharge of the material at the
front of the doser 30 into the compaction box takes barely 12 to 15
sec. Thus, the compaction box 40 receives the amount of material as
determined in the doser 30 for a bloc, as described
hereinabove.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 4, the compaction box 40 comprises a top
part 510 and a mobile bottom part 520. A flange 530, i.e. a ring
part, mobile on rails and bearings and hydraulically driven for
example, is adapted to be lifted from the bottom part 520 to
disengage the bottom part 520 from the top part 510 to allow the
bottom part with a compacted bloc therein to leave the filling and
compaction unit 14 for the stabilization unit 16, and to engage the
bottom part 520 for connection with the top part 510 at the filling
and compaction unit 14 for receiving the peat moss from the doser
30 for compaction. When the bottom part 520 is below the top part
510 for receiving the peat moss from the doser, the flange 530 in
position therebetween ensures continuity between the two parts,
thereby preventing dust or material leaks between the two parts 510
and 520. Those actions are monitored by the PLC and are all
automatic. In FIG. 7, the bottom part 520 of the compaction box 40
is shown with its doors open.
[0027] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom part 520 is mobile on
tracks 540 provided below the box 40, which allows saving space
above the box 40. A first track 540a may have a V shape so as to
guide the box 40 and ensure it does not move sideways and a second
track 540b may be provided with a flat wheel to give a sideways
play to the box 40, thereby avoiding that the box 40 gets jammed on
the tracks.
[0028] As shown in FIGS. 4c, 5 and 6, the filling and compaction
unit 14 comprises a pallet feeder 570 comprising arms 550 and a
frame 560, which handles a bundle of pallets and deposits one
pallet at a time at the back of the box 40. In FIGS. 4c, 5b or 6, a
pallet (P) is shown, waiting to be deposited behind the compaction
box 40 on the tracks 540 by opening of the arms 550 so that the
frame 560 moves down. When the bottom part 520 of the compaction
box 40 is back at the filling and compaction unit 14 from the
stabilization unit 16, the pallet feeder 570 thus deposits a pallet
behind the box and slides the pallet inside the box for receiving a
next load of material. The frame 560 can move up and down to lift
the bundle of pallets as shown in FIG. 5b. In previous systems, the
pallets had to be manually positioned, which was dangerous and,
although efficient for a production of 10 blocs/hour, could not
allow a production of up to 32 blocs/hour. In the present system,
the pallet feeder 570 is provided at the back of the machine, with
hydraulic arms 550 that take pallet bundles to leave only one
pallet on the conveyor 310, just behind the compaction box 40. It
is a two action system: open/close arm 550 on the pallet bundle and
up/down the pallet bundle. As a result, a pallet is left behind the
box 40 when the bottom part 520 of the compaction box 40 leaves a
compressed bloc at the stabilization unit. When the bottom part 520
of the compaction box 40 returns to the filling and compaction unit
14, the pallet enters in the box 40 by an opening of the size of
the pallet in the bottom part 520. All those actions are monitored
by the PLC and fully automatic.
[0029] The filling and compaction unit 14 comprises a piston and
cylinder arrangement 15, supported by a frame 17 (best seen in FIG.
1c), for compaction of the amount of peat moss determined by the
doser, within the compaction box 40. A digital encoder is used to
monitor the course of the piston so as to control the compaction
ratio and the height of the bloc formed. The height of the bloc is
thus precisely and automatically controlled, and uniform. The peat
moss is compressed at a pressure between 3 and 5 kg/cm.sup.2, for
example at about 3.85 kg/cm.sup.2, to a volume ratio of
non-compressed peat moss to compressed peat moss between 2:1 and
3:1.
[0030] The compaction box 40 may be provided with vents (see for
example FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, 7a), allowing air expulsion during
compaction. In order to prevent such vents from being obstructed by
the peat moss, the vents are formed by tapered bores in the doors
of the compaction box 40, as shown in FIG. 10b for example, the
tapering resulting in any material entering the bores to slide on
the tapered surfaces of the bores, without obstructing them.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 10a, the compaction box 40 is provided with
inner round corners 600, so as to produce peat blocs 700, shown in
FIG. 10b on a pallet (P) for example, having round corners 710,
which are found to be more resistant to breaking. Back inner
corners 600b of the compaction box 40 may have an angle of 90
degrees, and the front inner corners 600a of the compaction box 40
may have an angle of 92 degrees, thereby reducing the risks that
the bloc corners break upon opening of the front doors of the
box.
[0032] FIG. 8 shows a conveyor, driven by a motor 546, and the
tracks 540 that guide the mobile part of the compaction box 40 from
the filling and compaction unit 14 to the stabilization unit 16.
Forks 542, actuated by cylinders 544 for example, support the
pallet during compression of the peat moss within the compaction
box 40, at the filling and compaction unit 14.
[0033] At the stabilization unit 16, a top platen 311, best seen in
FIG. 11a, driven by a piston for example, is moved to contact the
top surface of the bloc upon arrival of the bottom part 520 of the
compaction box 40, thereby stabilizing the bloc, before the doors
of the bottom part 520 open to release the bloc. The bottom part
520 of the compaction box 40 leaves the pallet with the bloc
thereon and withdraws to the filling and compaction unit 14. An
elevator 548, actuated by a cylinder 541 for example, is used to
lift the pallet (P), placed on a plate 543 (see FIGS. 8 and 9), and
a layer of film is wrapped about the loaded pallet for
stabilization of its expansion, as fast as possible, i.e. within
between 45 to 60 s from its output from the compaction box 40, so
that the bloc remains straight and integral, i.e. so that the bloc
does not collapse, the conveyer remaining in position, as best seen
in FIG. 9.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 11, the stabilization unit 16 may comprise
a rotary arm stretch wrapper. The wrapper needs not be mobile or
moved away to allow the box 40 to deliver the bloc, since the
tracks 540 allow moving the compaction box 40 with the loaded
pallet forward, as mentioned hereinabove. Those entire steps are
fully automated by the PLC and need no manpower.
[0035] From the stabilization unit 16, once stabilized as described
hereinabove, the bloc is moved to a scale and a linear resistance
at the weighing and height measuring unit 18, to have its height
and weight measured. These pieces of data are processed in a PC
with the weight of the reference volume as determined before by
sampling at the dosing and feeding unit 12 as described hereinabove
so as to confirm the volume of the bloc, and an identifying sticker
is generated for that bloc. All those steps are completely
automated. The identifying sticker typically indicates the time of
production of the bloc, the kind (coarse/fine) of the product, the
weight, the volume, the height of the bloc, the weight of the
reference volume. The sticker is printed with a unique ITN # and is
put it on the bloc itself. Simultaneously, quality tests may be
performed on the bloc.
[0036] The wrapping station 20 is provided after the weighing and
height measuring unit 18. In FIG. 11, the wrapping station is shown
as comprising a turn table, lower in speed that the first
wrapper.
[0037] At the output unit 22, an arrangement of conveyors moves the
pallets away where a forklift takes the loads. All the movements on
the conveyors are automated by a PLC and require no manpower.
[0038] Determination of a volume for a first bloc at the dosing and
feeding unit 12 is done concurrently with compaction of a second
bloc at the filling and compaction unit 14, stabilization of a
third bloc at the stabilization unit 16, measuring of a fourth bloc
at the weighing and height measuring unit 18, and wrapping of a
fifth bloc at the wrapping unit 20.
[0039] Sphagnum peat moss optionally in admixture with mineral or
organic aggregates, having a water-content ranging from about 25 to
about 50 weight % and a density ranging from about 0.05 to about
0.15 gm/cc on dry basis, is used as feedstock. If the water-content
is too low, i.e., less than 25 weight %, it may be adjusted by
adding water by means of water sprays for example. If, on the other
hand, the water-content of the peat moss is too high, i.e., higher
than 50 weight %, the compactions modes need be adjusted to provide
a desired density bloc.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 12, in a method according to an embodiment
of an aspect of the present invention, after determining an amount
of peat moss corresponding to a target bloc (step A), the
determined amount is feed to a compaction box (step B) for
compaction into a compacted bloc supported by a pallet (step C).
The formed bloc is quickly stabilized (step D) and measured (step
E), then finally wrapped (step F).
[0041] In step A, a volume of peat moss is automatically determined
according to a target peat moss bloc. Sample amounts of peat moss
are collected as a reference for calculating the volume in the
bloc.
[0042] In step C, according to a first mode, typically for high
quality peat moss, for example peat moss with a water-content
ranging from about 25 to about 50 weight %, high fiber content,
recently cropped etc. . . . , the peat moss is compressed once fed
within the compaction box by a piston and cylinder arrangement.
According to a second mode, the peat moss is twice compressed once
fed within the compaction box. According to a third mode, typically
in case of poorer quality peat moss or for providing higher quality
blocs for example, a first portion of the amount determined by the
doser, for example 60%, is first fed within the compaction box,
first compressed, then the remaining portion of the amount
determined by the doser, for example 40% is fed within the
compaction box and compressed on top of the first amount.
[0043] The compaction time in step C, between 2 and 30 s, is
reduced by about half, compared to conventional methods, by
provision of the stabilizing step D.
[0044] The present method allows forming up to 32 palletized blocs
per hour, i.e. a cycle time between about 2 and 3 minutes.
[0045] The obtained palletized peat moss comprises a body of
compressed peat moss upstanding from a pallet and wrapped with a
plastic film, the plastic film retaining the peat moss in
compressed form on the pallet. Typically, the palletized peat moss
has a rectangular cross-section with a width of about 1.0 meter and
a length of 1.2 meters, the height ranging from about 2.0 to about
2.5 meters. The volume of compressed peat moss retained on the
pallet generally ranges from about 6 cubic meters.
[0046] Although the present invention has been described
hereinabove by way of embodiments thereof, it may be modified,
without departing from the nature and teachings of the subject
invention as recited hereinbelow.
* * * * *