EP-4735213-A1 - STATION FOR THE SINGULARIZATION OF LOOSE OR BAGGED ITEMS, PARTICULARLY GARMENTS

Abstract

The station (1) for the singularization of loose or bagged items, particularly garments, comprising: - a base frame (2); - a first collecting area (3) of a plurality of loose or bagged items (A) to be singularized; - a second receiving area (5) of the singularized items (A); - gripping and transferring means (6) configured to grasp the items (A) and transfer them from the first area (3) to the second area (5), comprising a robotic arm (7) provided with a resting base (8) and with a gripping end (9); wherein: - the gripping end (9) comprises a plurality of gripping elements (9a) movable between a gripping configuration and a release configuration; - the gripping elements (9a) are movable from said the configuration to the gripping configuration along a spiral trajectory (T).

Inventors

• PASSONI, LUCIANO
• BLUMETTI, Francesco
• LEALI, FRANCESCO
• PINI, Fabio

Assignees

• Sir S.p.A.
• Ideativa S.r.l.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240531

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS 1) Station (1) for the singularization of loose or bagged items, particularly garments, comprising: at least one base frame (2) for resting on the ground; at least a first collecting area (3) of a plurality of loose or bagged items (A) to be singularized; at least a second receiving area (5) of said singularized items (A) comprising at least one line of away movement (5a) of said items (A) along a direction of away movement (D) from said first area (3); gripping and transferring means (6) configured to grasp said items (A) to be singularized and transfer them from said first area (3) to said second area (5), said gripping and transferring means (6) comprising at least one robotic arm (7) provided with at least one resting base (8) and with at least one gripping end (9) which is movable with respect to said resting base (8); characterized by the fact that: said gripping end (9) comprises a plurality of gripping elements (9a) movable between a gripping configuration, wherein they are mutually moved close to allow the retention of only one of said items (A) to be singularized at a time, and a release configuration, wherein they are mutually moved away to allow the release of each of said retained items (A); and that said gripping elements (9a) are movable from said release configuration to said gripping configuration along a spiral trajectory (T). 2) Station (1) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said gripping and transferring means (6) comprise measuring means (10) for measuring a pressure/force associated with said gripping end (9) and by the fact that said station (1) is configured to move said gripping end (9) between: a first working position, wherein it is placed substantially where a respective said item (A) to be singularized is located; and a second working position, wherein it is lowered to a lower height than that occupied in said first working position and wherein the pressure/force measured by said measuring means (10) is substantially coincident with a predetermined reference pressure/force; said station (1) being further configured to arrange said gripping elements (9a) in said gripping configuration as a result of the movement of said gripping end (9) to said second working position. 3) Station (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises image capturing means (11) adapted to identify the location of said items (A) to be singularized in said first area (3). 4) Station (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said spiral trajectory (T) defines a central winding axis (Y) around which said gripping elements (9a) move in the switch from said gripping configuration to said release configuration and with respect to which they are substantially equidistant. 5) Station (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said gripping elements (9a) are movable from said gripping configuration to said release configuration along said spiral trajectory (T). 6) Station (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said gripping end (9) comprises three of said gripping elements (9a). 7) Station (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises control means (13) configured to detect the exit of said items (A) from a respective storage container (C) located in said first area (3) as a result of their gripping by said gripping elements (9a). 8) Station (1) according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that said control means (13) comprise at least one control device (13a) associated with said base frame (2) and configured to emit a beam of laser and/or LED light. 9) Station (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises detection means (14) operationally connected to said gripping and transferring means (6) and adapted to: generate a release signal when said items (A) retained by said gripping end (9) are entirely positioned above said line of away movement (5a); and to send said release signal to said robotic arm (7); the reception of said release signal causing the switch of said gripping elements (9a) from said gripping configuration to said release configuration. 10) Station (1) according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that said detection means (14) comprise at least one detection device (14a) arranged in said second area (5) and configured to emit an upward beam of laser and/or LED light.

Description

STATION FOR THE SINGULARIZATION OF LOOSE OR BAGGED ITEMS, PARTICULARLY GARMENTS Technical Field The present invention relates to a station for the singularization of loose or bagged items, particularly garments. Background Art With particular reference to the apparel industry, there is nowadays an increasing need to organize and deliver small and very small batches, e.g., following an online order from one or more customers. In this regard, it is good to keep in mind that items are produced within dedicated factories and sent to processing plants for packaging and sorting. Items are typically sent to processing plants by means single-product pallets, and therefore, it is first necessary to sort and organize the items before boxing and shipping them to end customers. For this purpose, the processing plants provide, e.g., single-product and/or multiproduct intermediate storage warehouses, conveyor lines for the sorted items and stations for setting up the package to be prepared according to the specific order. In this regard, the use within processing plants of singularization stations designed to singularize items, that is, to separate them individually from one another for the purpose of being able to process them individually through automated handling and management systems, is well known. In the present case, the singularization stations comprise a first area, wherein non- singularized items, e.g. those contained in boxes, carts or bins, are sent, and a second area, wherein the already singularized items are delivered to the parcel preparing station. Specifically, known singularization stations are composed of gripping and transferring means that grip items and transfer them from the first area to the second area where there is a line of away movement essentially consisting of one or more conveyor belts. In this regard, a first known type of singularization stations is provided with a sequence of conveyor belts connected in series and moving at different speeds from each other, particularly increasing when moving away from the first area. This allows items to be singularized to be divided and spaced out as a result of the change in speed between one conveyor belt and the next. In this way, it is possible, e.g., to move away from each other items that have overlapped on the line of away movement. The aforementioned technical solution is not however without its drawbacks. It is, in fact, easy to appreciate that, for reasons related to the space available within the processing plants, it is not possible to increase the encumbrances of the lines of away movement and, therefore, of the singularization stations, beyond a certain value. Another known type of singularization stations comprises singularization systems of the type of brushes and/or vertical barriers associated with the line of away movement and arranged to define a transit section which can be traversed by only one item at a time. Nevertheless, the singularization stations provided with brushes and/or vertical barriers also suffer from drawbacks particularly related to their reduced efficiency and reliability. Separation of items, in fact, often fails and some of them get stuck at the transit section, eventually occluding it. This leads to a reduction in the flow of items on the line of away movement and, if action is not taken in a timely manner, to a complete stop of the singularization station due to total occlusion of the transit section. It is clear, therefore, that the unreliability of this type of singularization station turns over time into substantial economic damage to the company. To solve the aforementioned problems, singularization stations of bagged items constructed according to the teachings of patent document WO2023073514 are known. Within that document, a singularization station is, in particular, described wherein the second area comprises a plurality of inclined planes, each intended to receive and support the bagged items to be singularized which have been released from the gripping and transferring means. In detail, each of the inclined planes comprises respective suction means that can be activated to retain the bagged items to be singularized and deactivated to release the bagged items and allow them to fall onto the line of away movement by sliding. In this regard, it should be explained that although the gripping and transferring means of WO2023073514 are configured to grasp only one item at a time and, therefore, already carry out a preliminary first singularization of these items, the flexibility of the bags does not always ensure the effective grasping of only one item at a time, sometimes the simultaneous grasping of two items and their transfer to the second area may occur. If, therefore, the gripping and transferring means transfer two bagged items to an inclined plane at the same time, one bagged item ends up resting on the inclined plane and is held by the suction means, while the other bagged item ends up res